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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were kept quiet throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time 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 attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past Leno counted. 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 against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.