Idrissa Gueye along with Michael Keane on target as the Toffees sink the Cottagers

The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors showed the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender 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. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced over Leno. He did so 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 after the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.