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David Moyes had stressed 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 central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender responded perfectly, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated why 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 greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old headed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had changed at last when sliding in at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when going for the delivery, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team 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 Keane directed over Leno. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save in the dying moments.