Idrissa Gueye along with Michael Keane find the net as Everton overcome the Cottagers

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 forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham showed why their leading scorer 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 efforts disallowed 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 reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.