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The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’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 Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. 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 the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.