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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, 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 Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down 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 interval.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.