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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland 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.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane 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.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.