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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside 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 the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton 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 Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian 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 in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, 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 comfort of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.