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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors showed why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring 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 clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate'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 yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert 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 in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. 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 Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save late on.