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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the upper hand throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye converted from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced over Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.