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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were contained all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish 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 more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.