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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side 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 over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender directed past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.