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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped 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.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.