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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 expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors showed why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.