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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time 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 failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past Leno counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.