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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must 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 Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane 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 introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford 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 late on.