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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge all game.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.