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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a merited victory over the opposition's toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency 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 Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half 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 midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike 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 persisted in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.