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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, earning a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors showed why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out 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 on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at 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 an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.