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The Everton manager had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's toothless side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was relatively comfortable as the visitors demonstrated the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the second half, the away side were subdued throughout by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring more than Thierno Barry, the Everton attacker who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his £27m summer arrival from Villarreal and missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for fouling Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian brought down the same player again before halftime but the official, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was not risking anything, though, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the back post to turn in a low cross by Gueye. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. 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 all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied Fulham’s central defenders and contributed to the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well 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 in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

Everton, inspired by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for an infringement when Leno saved a Keane header and the captain fired home the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when nodding down Jack Grealish’s cross in the buildup. But the team's next effort beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a perfect ball to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder fluffed his lines, his teammate the scorer finished from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was evident.

The home side had a further effort disallowed early in the second half after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker had cushioned the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. The team would have to wait until the 81st minute for the security of a second goal. The provider was the creator with a corner that Keane glanced over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, the Brazilian and the winger. The Everton keeper saved well with his feet to prevent the substitute scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.