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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were contained throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out 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 their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival 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 youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. 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 James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so 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, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.