Idrissa Gueye along with Michael Keane on target as the Toffees sink the Cottagers

The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the away side were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for offside, 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 their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings 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 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating Leno counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.