Gueye and Michael Keane find the net as the Toffees overcome the Cottagers

The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued throughout by the home team's superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival 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 first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half 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 midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.