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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the away side were contained throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly 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 limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.