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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.