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David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and Michael Keane rose to the occasion, securing a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham showed why their top marksman this season is goals gifted by opponents. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the visitors were contained all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the earliest chance of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the early exchanges and the Fulham goalkeeper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the interval.

The striker thought his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his overall display justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the away team was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and the captain fired home 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 past the keeper counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the far post when found in space on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the ball into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the home player. The team 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 the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger following the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. The Everton keeper made a fine stop with his legs to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and denied Traoré with another important stop in the dying moments.