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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, 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 spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking 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 overall display validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.