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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane directed over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side 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 prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.