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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet all match by the home team's superior intensity 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 comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target 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 headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement 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 delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.