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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham 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 midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively 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 Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.