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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, securing a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were subdued throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, 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 reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.