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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were kept quiet all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper 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 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.