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The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors showed the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off 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. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender directed past Leno. He scored 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 following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.