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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that the defender directed over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.