Gueye along with Michael Keane find the net as the Toffees overcome the Cottagers

David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors showed why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were subdued all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far 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. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.