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The Everton manager had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors showed why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were subdued throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, 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 one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move 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 first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

Barry believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His movement and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt past the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.