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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet all match by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender'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 Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move 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 over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.