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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and midfielders as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

Everton’s second victory in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham showed why their leading scorer this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring more than the young striker, the Goodison Park 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 the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game wide of Bernd Leno’s goal frame when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the identical opponent again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the original call. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his overall display justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham came into the contest gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the first half threat from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for an infringement when Leno saved a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the rebound. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating Leno did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a set-piece that Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.