Idrissa Gueye along with Michael Keane on target as Everton overcome the Cottagers

David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors showed the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye 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 needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, 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 gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort past Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished 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 found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that Keane directed past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.