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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity 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 wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort past the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.