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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced over Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.