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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team 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 comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker 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 missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team 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 promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno counted. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball 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 Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.