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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton 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 the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and substituted the player at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt past the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals 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. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.