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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors showed the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued throughout by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender directed past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.