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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park forward 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 missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker 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 linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game 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. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane 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 past Leno counted. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.