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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were kept quiet all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR 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 work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively 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 put a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.