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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as 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 Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked 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 relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored 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 touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.