Sam Allardyce's first game in charge of Everton in victory as goals from Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin helped the Toffees to a 2-0 win over Huddersfield Town.
After a dull opening period, record signing Sigurdsson's sweeping finish gave the new regime its first goal.
Youngster Calvert-Lewin's deflected 73rd minute effort then sealed the spoils for Allardyce on his Goodison bow, as Everton made it two successive wins in a row in the league for the first time this season.
Here's what we learned from the Goodison Park encounter.
Scale of Goodison task becomes apparent to Allardyce
In attendance for Wednesday night's 4-0 thrashing of West Ham, new Everton manager Sam Allardyce could have been forgiven for wondering what all the fuss was about with regards to Everton's potential relegation. Energetic on the flanks and clinical up front, the Blues looked a cut above their sorry opponents on Wednesday night.
Not so here. For 45 minutes, Huddersfield dominated possession and forced Everton to play long to Dominic Calvert-Lewin. It was chalk and cheese. Why? The Terriers are simply not West Ham.
Faced with an energetic visiting side seeking to play on the front foot, the Blues' weaknesses were laid bare for the 40,000 inside Goodison and their new leader. The midfield battle was surrendered, while a lack of guile on the ball left lone striker Calvert-Lewin with the impossible task of chasing shadows.
All this against a side who had lost their last four on the road- and hadn't scored away in six.
Improvements were made after the break, but Allardyce will have been left in no uncertain terms that Wednesday with the exception, rather than the rule.
Blues struggle in Anfield audition against 'Klopp-lite'
Just over a week from now, Everton play Jurgen Klopp's high-energy Liverpool side. How better to prepare for that considerable task than by playing his former protege's side immediately before, then?
The similarities in style between the management of Klopp and Huddersfield boss David Wagner date back to the pair's time together at Huddersfield. Both, for example, prefer a high intensity game that sees their charges press from the front to force mistakes.
And so, at least from a possession-centric point of view, this was ideal preparation for next weekend's derby. Huddersfield hustled and harried Everton's defenders, placing the likes of Williams and Martina in numerous uncomfortable positions during the opening period, in particular.
As far as auditions go, this could have gone much better. Indeed, the ease with which possession was lost will be of palpable concern to Allardyce ahead of the trip to Anfield. The saving grace, on this occasion, was that it was Laurent Depoitre and Tom Ince recovering lost balls, and not Mo Salah and Sadio Mane.
Everton will need to markedly improve in this area if they're to have any hope at all of escaping Anfield unscathed.
Rooney's class proves telling
There was no case of 'after the Lord Mayor's show' for Wayne Rooney. Once again deployed in a deeper role, the 32-year-old made a decisive impact on a Premier League match for the second time in less than a week.
This was not as special as the West Ham game, but with the score delicately poised at 1-0, the ex-Manchester United player served up one of the only moments of quality in a game otherwise lacking in moments of inspiration.
Allardyce and Wagner had, for all intents and purposes, foregrounded brawn over brains for long spells, however, Rooney's through-ball for Calvert-Lewin's crucial second was right out of the top drawer. Few others on the pitch would have been capable of measuring the pass in such a way.
A standing ovation again met Rooney's substitution, as Goodison recognised his display. What next, though? Tougher tasks await for the newest member of Everton's midfield. Does Rooney, for example, have the positional discipline to repel the likes of Mané and Salah next Sunday?
One thing is for certain though, the returning blue will be central to his side's hopes of victory at Anfield, regardless of the position he plays.
Everton youngsters growing in Premier League stature
With heavy defeat following heavy defeat, it has been particularly difficult of late for Everton to blood their promising youngsters.
The likes of Jonjoe Kenny, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Beni Baningime have, as a result, endured largely mixed starts to their Premier League careers. There has, almost organically, been a marked improvement as performances have picked up though.
Kenny and Calvert-Lewin now look like bona fide Premier League players, exuding the sort of confidence that suggests that they now know they finally belong.
For full-back Kenny, this was another step in the right direction following an excellent 90 minutes against West Ham. Afforded defensive support from Aaron Lennon, the Under-20 World Cup winner has grown in stature offensively too, providing a number of probing crosses throughout Saturday's game.
Forward Calvert-Lewin, meanwhile, benefited from his second start in a week to deliver a strong performance leading the line. The temptation would have been to throw the effective Oumar Niasse back in from the outset, yet Calvert-Lewin's performance in midweek warranted another chance.
He grasped it with both hands here, netting the game-ending second after a powerful run forward.
If first impressions count for anything, both Kenny and Calvert-Lewin are now well-placed to play an important role under Allardyce.
