Gueye along with Michael Keane on target as the Toffees overcome the Cottagers

David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings 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 earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck 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 Everton the upper hand throughout.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But the team's third attempt past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.