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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion 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 forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games 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 the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release 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 a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect 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 rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.