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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure 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 forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed 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 same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, 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 changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.