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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were contained all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. 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 not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating Leno counted. The left-back 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 against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.