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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity 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 Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye converted from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.