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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

The Merseyside club'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 short spell in the latter period, the away side were contained throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno counted. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.