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David Moyes had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, earning a merited victory over the opposition's toothless team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors showed the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued all match by the home team's greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion made sure there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the identical opponent later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored home protests for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was offside when attacking the delivery, and failing to connect, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in the final third, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a effort from Keane and the captain fired home the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort past Leno did stand. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a two-goal lead. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced past Leno. He scored with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and stopped the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.