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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 fall solely on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively 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 teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.