Idrissa Gueye along with Michael Keane on target as the Toffees defeat Fulham

The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the away side were kept quiet all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals 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 comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But the team's third attempt past Leno counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender directed over Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.