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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane directed past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.