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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker 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 spurned a gilt-edged chance 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 Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well 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 his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. 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 wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.