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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.