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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 rest only on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up 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 runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge all game.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered 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 fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton 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 Keane directed over Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.