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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 demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced past Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.