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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, securing a merited victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were contained all match by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and the defender's second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last 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 assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced over Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.