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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 strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the away side were subdued all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually 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. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down the winger's cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.