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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet all match by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward 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 missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, 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 validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball 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 directed over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.