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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, securing a merited victory over Marco Silva’s toothless team.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham highlighted why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were kept quiet throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player needed a goal more than the young striker, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was not risking anything, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when going for the delivery, and missing, and the VAR supported the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by his teammate and put a free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when competing with the Fulham defender for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, the Brazilian and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.