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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors highlighted why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed 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 earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute finding the net with his first touch and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.