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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved offside when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper counted. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.