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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three goals disallowed for offside, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no comeback 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 a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity 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 wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game 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 limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up in the box by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a promising location directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved offside when nodding down Jack Grealish’s delivery in the build-up. But Everton’s third attempt past the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his teammate Gueye finished from close range. The relief inside the ground was evident.

Everton had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his feet to deny Muniz finding the net with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with another important stop late on.