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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal 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 first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player 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 Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved offside when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.