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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal 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 crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.