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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a merited victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable 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 all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and put a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.