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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors highlighted the reason their leading scorer 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 greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park forward 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 spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno counted. 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 thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.