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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. 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 goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced over Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.