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The Everton manager had made clear before Fulham's visit that the onus for scoring goals must not rest only on the team's strikers. “I demand more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he insisted. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender duly obliged, delivering a well-earned victory over Marco Silva’s ineffective side.

Everton’s second win in nine matches was fairly straightforward as the visitors showed the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Aside from a short spell in the latter period, the away side were kept quiet all match by Everton’s greater urgency and quality. The Blues had three goals ruled out for infringements, but a close-range strike from Gueye in added time before the break 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 Thierno Barry, the Everton 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 missed a gilt-edged chance to put his team 2-0 up at Sunderland earlier in the week. The youngster directed the first opportunity of the game over the Fulham keeper's crossbar when picked out by Iliman Ndiaye’s fine cross.

Everton controlled the early exchanges and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's long-range set-piece, given after Sasa Lukic was booked for hauling down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall. Lukic brought down the same player later in the half but the official, Andrew Madley, correctly waved away home protests for a second yellow. Silva was taking no further chances, however, and substituted the midfielder at the break.

Barry believed his fortune had finally turned when arriving at the back post to turn in a drilled pass by Gueye. But the joy of a first Everton goal was erased by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was offside when going for the delivery, 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 all-round performance validated the manager's choice to stick with him. His movement and effort kept busy the opposition's back line and contributed to Everton the upper hand all game.

The Londoners grew into the game slowly with the Norwegian and the ex-Goodison player the Nigerian working well in midfield, but the early danger from the visitors was limited. The Mexican striker shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up in the box by Iwobi and sent a set-piece from a dangerous position straight into the defensive barrier. And that was it.

The Blues, driven on by Dewsbury-Hall and Ndiaye, had a another strike chalked off for offside when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a Keane header and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. 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 counted. Vitalii Mykolenko delivered a lovely cross to the far post when found in space on the left by Tim Iroegbunam. Tarkowski met it with a thumping header against the bar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from close range. The relief inside the ground was palpable.

The home side had a third goal ruled out after the restart after the playmaker scored from another inviting delivery from the left. Ndiaye had laid off the delivery into Barry, who was offside when challenging Joachim Anderson for the touch that fell to the home player. Everton would have to be patient until the closing stages for the security of a second goal. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender directed over the goalkeeper. He scored with the back of his shoulder, and Fulham’s appeals for a handball were rejected by VAR.

Fulham posed more danger after the substitutions of the forward, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford saved well with his legs to prevent Muniz scoring with his first touch and stopped the speedster with a crucial save in the dying moments.