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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors showed the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were contained throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion 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 Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR 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 Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.