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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, 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 missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton 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 limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort past Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to 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 corner that the defender directed over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.