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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance 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 over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up 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 runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort past the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.