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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. 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 ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender directed past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.