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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency 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 reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as 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 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 earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when set up inside the area by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his first touch and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.