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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for scoring goals must not rest only on his side's strikers. “I expect more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as Fulham demonstrated the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a brief flurry in the latter period, the away side were subdued all match by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. Moyes’ team had three efforts disallowed for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and the defender's late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No player 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 testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was booked for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the identical opponent later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a sending off. Silva was not risking anything, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker thought his luck had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by his teammate. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to keep the faith. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player Alex Iwobi working well in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. The Mexican striker shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up in the box by his teammate and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

Everton, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal disallowed for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when nodding down the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper did stand. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam fluffed his lines, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from another inviting Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that reached the home player. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a set-piece that Keane directed past the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and the visitors' protests for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham carried more of a threat after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.