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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival 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 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the player at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand 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 away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced over Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.