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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors highlighted why their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to Everton the upper hand throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez 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 Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.