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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, 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 his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in 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 the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that the defender directed over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.