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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as the visitors showed why their top marksman 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 superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish 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 one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, 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 the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team 2-0 up at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait 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 handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied the speedster with a crucial save late on.