Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane find the net as the Toffees defeat Fulham

The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were contained throughout by the home team's superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal 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 big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.