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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. 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 effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.