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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings 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 earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned 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 assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent 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 another strike disallowed for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off 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 be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.