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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating the keeper counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson 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. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.