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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders 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 side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were subdued 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 Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker 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 directed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.