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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors showed why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.