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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased 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 on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed 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 the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.