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David Moyes had emphasized before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a fully deserved victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed the reason their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by his teammate's fine cross.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to turn in a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside 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 Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. Tarkowski connected with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.