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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 his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, 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 Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.