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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a merited victory over the opposition's toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were contained all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton 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 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating Leno counted. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.