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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed 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 Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender directed past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.