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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.