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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, 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 justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that Keane 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 the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.