Idrissa Gueye along with Keane on target as Everton sink the Cottagers

David Moyes had made clear before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net should not rest only on his side's strikers. “I demand more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender responded perfectly, earning a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches 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 contained throughout by Everton’s superior intensity and technical ability. Moyes’ team had three efforts ruled out for offside, but a close-range strike 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 player 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 missed a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at the Stadium of Light on Monday. The 23-year-old headed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton dominated the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the official, the man in charge, rightly ignored Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the break.

Barry thought his fortune had finally turned 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 linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, 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 the manager's choice to stick with him. His runs and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give Everton the edge throughout.

Fulham grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when set up in the box by Iwobi and sent a free-kick 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 James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the build-up. But the team's third attempt beating Leno did stand. The left-back floated a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod against the bar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. 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 another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the Everton midfielder. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall 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 rejected by the video official.

Silva’s side carried more of a threat after the substitutions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny the substitute finding the net with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with another important stop late on.