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David Moyes had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not rest only on the team's strikers. “I expect more goals from my defenders and midfielders as well,” he stated. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, earning a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second victory in nine matches was relatively comfortable as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the visitors were subdued throughout by the home team's greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three efforts disallowed for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header made sure there would be no reprieve for their ex-coach.

No one needed a goal as much as the young striker, the Everton forward who had gone 10 Premier League outings without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from the Spanish side and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the earliest chance of the game over Bernd Leno’s crossbar when picked out by his teammate's excellent delivery.

The home side dominated the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, awarded after Sasa Lukic was booked for fouling the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was erased by an assistant referee’s flag. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, and failing to connect, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in the final third, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied Fulham’s central defenders and helped give the hosts the upper hand all game.

The Londoners came into the contest slowly with the Norwegian and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a free-kick from a dangerous position directly at the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by the midfielder and Ndiaye, had a second goal disallowed for offside when Leno saved a effort from Keane and James Tarkowski volleyed in the loose ball. The home captain had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's cross in the build-up. But the team's next effort beating Leno counted. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer finished from close range. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a third goal disallowed after the restart after the playmaker found the bottom corner from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was in an offside position when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to wait until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a corner that the defender glanced past the goalkeeper. He scored with the upper body, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and stopped Traoré with another important stop late on.