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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were kept quiet all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.