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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane responded perfectly, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet all match by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Everton attacker 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 gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry thought his luck had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt past Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye converted from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane glanced over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.