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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton 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 spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.