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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors showed the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. 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 defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.