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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, 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 the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. 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 missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane glanced past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.