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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors showed the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball 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 be patient until the closing stages for the security 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 handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.