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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out 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 the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner 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. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.