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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were contained throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.