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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward 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 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the player at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.