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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last 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 linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort past Leno counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.