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The Everton manager had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were contained throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, 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 their ex-coach.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity 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, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when heading on Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort past Leno did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.