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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were kept quiet all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender 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.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.