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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were contained all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of 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 tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.