Gueye and Keane find the net as the Toffees defeat the Cottagers

David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on his side's forwards. “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, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder 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 Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.