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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were subdued throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.