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The Everton manager had emphasized before the match against Fulham that the responsibility for finding the back of the net should not fall solely on his side's strikers. “I want more goals from my centre-halves and central players as well,” he stated. The Senegalese midfielder and the English defender rose to the occasion, delivering a well-earned victory over the opposition's ineffective side.

The Merseyside club's second win in nine matches was largely untroubled as Fulham showed the reason their top marksman this season is opposition own goals. Apart from a short spell in the second half, the visitors were kept quiet all match by Everton’s greater urgency and technical ability. The Blues had three goals ruled out for offside, but a poacher’s finish from the midfielder in first-half stoppage time and Keane’s second-half header ensured there would be no reprieve for the former Everton manager.

No player was more in need of scoring as much as Thierno Barry, the Everton forward who had failed to register a shot on target in 10 league games without a shot on target after his big-money move from Villarreal and spurned a clear opportunity to put his team two goals ahead at Sunderland on Monday. The youngster headed the first opportunity of the game wide of the Fulham keeper's goal frame when found by his teammate's fine cross.

Everton dominated the opening stages and the visiting shot-stopper pushed over the midfielder's 30-yard free-kick, given after the Fulham player was yellow-carded for hauling down the Everton midfielder. Lukic brought down the same player again before halftime but the referee, Andrew Madley, rightly ignored home protests for a sending off. The Fulham boss was taking no further chances, though, and withdrew the midfielder at the interval.

Barry believed his fortune had changed at last when arriving at the far post to convert a low cross by his teammate. But the joy of a maiden strike was wiped out by an linesman's decision. Ndiaye was in an illegal position when going for Gueye’s cross, and missing, and the VAR backed up the on-field decision. The forward's bad luck may have persisted in front of goal, but his all-round performance validated the manager's choice to keep the faith. His movement and work-rate occupied the opposition's back line and contributed to the hosts the upper hand all game.

Fulham grew into the game slowly with Sander Berge and the former Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi combining effectively in the engine room, but the early danger from the visitors was minimal. Raúl Jiménez shot tamely at Jordon Pickford when teed up inside the area by Iwobi and put a set-piece from a promising location straight into the Everton wall. That summed up their attacking output.

The Blues, driven on by the midfielder and the forward, had a another strike disallowed for an infringement when the Fulham goalkeeper parried a effort from Keane and the captain volleyed in the loose ball. The skipper had just strayed beyond the last defender when heading on the winger's delivery in the buildup. But Everton’s next effort beating the keeper did stand. The left-back delivered a perfect ball to the back post when found in space on the left flank by the youngster. Tarkowski met it with a powerful nod off the crossbar and, though the midfielder mishit the rebound, his midfield partner the scorer converted from point-blank. The relief inside Hill Dickinson Stadium was evident.

The home side had a third goal disallowed early in the second half after Dewsbury-Hall scored from a further excellent Mykolenko cross. Ndiaye had cushioned the delivery into the striker, who was offside when challenging the Fulham defender for the touch 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. The provider was the architect with a set-piece that the defender glanced 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 introductions of Josh King, Rodrigo Muniz and Adama Traoré. Pickford made a fine stop with his legs to deny Muniz scoring with his initial involvement and denied Traoré with a crucial save late on.