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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors demonstrated 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 Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced over Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.