Idrissa Gueye along with Keane find the net as the Toffees defeat the Cottagers

The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must 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 Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a merited victory over the opposition's toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued 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 Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.