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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton 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 gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player 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, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far 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. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back 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 teammate the scorer converted 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 scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.