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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated 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 brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that the defender directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.