It may not escape the attention of a man of Romelu Lukaku’s ambition that the previous player to score 20 league goals in a season for Everton promptly earned a move to Barcelona. It scarcely hindered Gary Lineker’s cause that he was the 1986 World Cup’s most prolific player, but Lukaku is on course for a Golden Boot of his own. An added-time double meant that, with 21, he surged clear in the Premier League scoring charts and emulated both Lineker and Bob Latchford, who was the last Everton forward to score in seven successive home games. Lukaku voiced a desire to seal a transfer that will consign him to Goodison Park history. In the meantime, he is making it.

He may eye the exit, but his attitude was impeccable. He may leave Everton behind, but he was received rapturously at the final whistle. Indeed, barely a boo greeted Lukaku before kick-off. The Gwladys Street End started to sing his name after Eldin Jakupovic tipped a howitzer of a shot over and Lukaku, who had already seen a goal ruled out when he was offside and come close with a rising shot, was eventually rewarded for his persistence.

“The fans love Rom and everyone loves Rom,” said his manager, Ronald Koeman. “Yes, you may be able to hold him back for 85 minutes but then he was focused to the last second. We killed the game perfectly.”

Allying two goals with an assist, Lukaku was the executioner in chief but only the third Everton forward to find the net. He had supplied the second. A minute after coming on, Enner Valencia’s first contribution was to exchange passes with Lukaku and slot home. Then the favour was returned, the Belgian scoring from the Ecuadorian’s through ball. His next provider could take less pleasure from the pass, Hull’s Omar Elabdellaoui picking out Lukaku by mistake.

He brought a cruelty to the scoreline for the visitors. “It was more tough than the final result reflected,” Koeman accepted. Lukaku can prey on the weak and if Hull prevented him from scoring with a full complement of players, they were doomed when depleted, hopes of a first away win since August departing with their captain.

“I saw one game until 70 minutes and after, another game,” said their manager Marco Silva. Tom Huddlestone’s sending off, for a lunge at Idrissa Gueye, brought sympathy from Everton. “It is too harsh. It is a yellow, not a red,” said Koeman. Silva is considering mounting an appeal and said: “We didn’t deserve this decision.”

The Portuguese lamented spurned chances, particularly when Sam Clucas’ lob landed on the roof of the net after a breakdown in communications between Joel Robles and Ashley Williams. He noted, too, that Koeman felt the need to match his system, bringing on a third centre-back, Ramiro Funes Mori, with 35 minutes remaining. Lukaku immediately became more dangerous as Everton acquired a counterattacking menace.

He had wondered about the club’s ambition. The £20m signing Morgan Schneiderlin may have appeared evidence of it, but in the sole blight on Everton’s afternoon, he limped off with a calf injury that may sideline him for several weeks. But for a club Lukaku accused of living in the past, Everton nonetheless offered an enticing glimpse of the future.

Two years ago, Dominic Calvert-Lewin was playing in the Conference North for Stalybridge. Now his first top-flight goal came five divisions higher and in a move involving three players with a combined age of just 61. Ross Barkley, a comparative veteran of 23, conjured a defence-splitting pass. The 18-year-old Tom Davies displayed the energy to run on to it and centre. “The final pass was outstanding,” Koeman said and the 20-year-old Calvert-Lewin, only starting because Kevin Mirallas was attending the birth of his second child, added the finish.

It added a progressive feel to proceedings. If only briefly, Everton appear a club on the up. Their 83-day stay in seventh place was ended as they leapfrogged Manchester United. They are behind Arsenal only on goal difference. A sixth straight league win at Goodison Park, secured by an aggregate score of 22-3, also gives them the distinction of taking most points in the division in 2017. As ever, though, the statistical landmarks felt dominated by Lukaku.