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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, 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 his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into 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 fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the ball into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.