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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated 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 Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from point-blank. 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 Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.