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The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a merited victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort 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 ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.