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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were contained all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish 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 as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger 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, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.