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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane directed past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.