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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out 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 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 testing the goalkeeper 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 the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.