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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the away side were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position 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 overall display justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively 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.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort past Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait 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 over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.