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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, earning a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors showed why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet 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 first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that Keane directed past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.