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David Moyes had stressed before Fulham's visit that the responsibility for scoring goals must not fall solely on the team's forwards. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. Idrissa Gueye and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective team.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham demonstrated why their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the away side were contained throughout by the home team's greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three efforts ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from the midfielder in added time before the break and Keane’s late conversion ensured there would be no comeback for the former Everton manager.

No one was more in need of scoring as much as the young striker, the Goodison Park forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target 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 earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's excellent delivery.

Everton controlled the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper tipped over James Garner’s long-range set-piece, given after the Fulham player was booked for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic tripped the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away Everton appeals for a sending off. Silva was taking no further chances, though, and substituted the player at the interval.

The striker believed his luck had finally turned when sliding in at the far post to convert a drilled pass by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when attacking Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the video assistant referee backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have continued in front of goal, but his all-round performance justified Moyes’ decision to stick with him. His runs and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the edge all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian combining effectively in midfield, but the first half threat 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 free-kick from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, inspired by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when Leno parried a Keane header and James Tarkowski fired home the rebound. The home captain had just strayed offside when nodding down the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s third attempt beating the keeper counted. The left-back delivered a lovely cross to the far post when left unmarked on the left flank by the youngster. The defender met it with a thumping header off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner Gueye finished from close range. The sense of release inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

Everton had a further effort ruled out early in the second half after the playmaker scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. The attacker 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 81st minute for the comfort of a second goal. Dewsbury-Hall was the creator with a corner that Keane directed over Leno. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for handball were rejected by the video official.

Fulham posed more danger after the substitutions of Josh King, the Brazilian and the winger. Pickford made a fine stop with his feet to prevent Muniz finding the net with his first touch and denied the speedster with another important stop in the dying moments.