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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team 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 gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced over Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.