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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, 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 clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the ball 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 two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.