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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors showed the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane directed past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.