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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Everton 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 gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far 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 fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.