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The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium 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 Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.