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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, earning a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was largely untroubled as Fulham highlighted the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were contained throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player 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 withdrew the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.