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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out 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 comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side 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 wide of Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee 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 runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient 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 scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.