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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 want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were subdued all match by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than 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 big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent 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 another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.