Gueye and Michael Keane on target as the Toffees overcome Fulham

The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a merited victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, 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 reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross 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 missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.