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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. 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. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off 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 wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.