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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Everton attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had moved offside when heading on the winger's cross in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.