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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the break.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. 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 work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced over Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.