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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker 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 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

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 first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.