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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park forward 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 spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had moved offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort past Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.