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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort past the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.