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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 his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors showed the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were contained all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, 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 validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane directed past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.