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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

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 two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners 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. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced over Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.