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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, earning a merited victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors showed why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the away side were subdued throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced over Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.