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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park 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 Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past Leno counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that the defender directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.