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The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder 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 in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort past the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the ball into Barry, 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 closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.