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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break 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 Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.