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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham showed why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno counted. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane directed past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.