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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton forward 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 the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that the defender directed past Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.