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The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as the visitors showed why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet throughout by the home team's superior intensity and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed 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 their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton 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 Villarreal 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 headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry believed 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 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 backed up the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi working well in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a promising location straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But the team's third attempt beating the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. The team 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 Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his feet to deny Muniz scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.