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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium 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. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender directed 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 Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.