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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker 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 Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.