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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane duly obliged, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

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 offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.