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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors highlighted why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.