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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported 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 keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall 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 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.