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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors showed the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

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

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating 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 against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. 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 corner that Keane directed over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.