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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. 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 promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.