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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors showed why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart 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 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 reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game 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. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.