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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, earning a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker 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 gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic 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 not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian 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 in the dying moments.