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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, 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 the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.