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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net must not rest only on the team's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective team.

Everton’s second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors showed the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the away side were kept quiet throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal more than the young striker, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game over Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee supported the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the loose ball. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on Jack Grealish’s cross in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a powerful nod against the bar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The sense of release inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the ball into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the home player. Everton would have to wait until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that the defender glanced past Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.