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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park 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 missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar 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 further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.