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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second win 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 second half, the away side were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity 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 the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in 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. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.