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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the onus for finding the back of the net must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he declared. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, securing a merited victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine outings was largely untroubled as the visitors highlighted the reason their leading scorer this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a brief flurry in the second half, 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 Gueye in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No one needed a goal more than 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 the Spanish side and spurned 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 picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

The home side controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. The Serbian tripped the same player later in the half but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and withdrew the player at the break.

The striker believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to convert a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an linesman's decision. The attacker was offside when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. Barry’s misfortune may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate kept busy the opposition's back line and helped give the hosts the edge throughout.

The Londoners came into the contest gradually with Sander Berge and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the first half threat from the away team was minimal. Raúl Jiménez fired weakly at Jordon Pickford when set up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the Everton wall. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But Everton’s next effort past Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko floated a lovely cross to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye converted from point-blank. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a further effort ruled out after the restart after Dewsbury-Hall found the bottom corner from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had cushioned the ball into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the ball that fell to the home player. The team would have to be patient until the closing stages for the comfort of a two-goal lead. Dewsbury-Hall was the architect with a corner that Keane directed over the goalkeeper. He did so with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were dismissed by the video official.

Fulham carried more of a threat following the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and stopped the speedster with a crucial save late on.