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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton attacker 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 earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached 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 creator with a set-piece that Keane directed over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.