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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, securing a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors showed the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's greater urgency 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 second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than 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 big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to 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 creator with a corner that the defender directed past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after 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 initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.