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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors highlighted why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were subdued throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane directed past Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.