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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than 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 missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team 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 past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.