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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal 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 clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand throughout.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort past the keeper counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.