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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors showed the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring 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 big-money move from Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane directed over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.