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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

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 big-money move from Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated 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.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort past the keeper counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium 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 challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.