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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal 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. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko 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 off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.