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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder 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 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 two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, 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 stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson 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. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.