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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated 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 Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, 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 Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.