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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, 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 finally turned when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.