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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham showed why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light 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 fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton 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 glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.