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The Everton manager had stressed before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I want more goals from my defenders and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender duly obliged, securing a fully deserved victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

Everton’s second victory in nine outings was fairly straightforward as the visitors showed the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were subdued all match by Everton’s superior intensity and quality. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for their ex-coach.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Goodison Park attacker who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without testing the goalkeeper after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The 23-year-old directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when found by Iliman Ndiaye’s excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the Fulham goalkeeper tipped over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, awarded after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, the man in charge, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the player at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when sliding in at the back post to convert a low cross by Gueye. But the elation of a first Everton goal was wiped out by an assistant referee’s flag. The attacker was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and failing to connect, and the VAR supported the original call. Barry’s misfortune may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game gradually with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the early danger from the away team was limited. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at the England keeper when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a promising location directly at the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a second goal chalked off for offside when Leno saved a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The skipper had moved beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating Leno counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a perfect ball to the back post when left unmarked on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. The defender connected with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though Iroegbunam mishit the rebound, his teammate the scorer converted from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was palpable.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent delivery from the left. The attacker had laid off the delivery into the striker, who was offside when competing with the Fulham defender for the ball that reached the Everton midfielder. Everton would have to be patient until the 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane directed over Leno. He did so with the upper body, and the visitors' protests for a handball were dismissed by VAR.

Silva’s side posed more danger after the introductions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to deny the substitute finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop late on.