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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Everton attacker 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 missed 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 over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.