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David Moyes had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were contained throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team 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 needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park 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 spurned a gilt-edged chance 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 over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. 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 failing to connect, and the VAR supported the on-field decision. 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 helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.