Everton took a step towards Premier League survival against Leeds.
Seamus Coleman gave Frank Lampard’s side a deserved early lead after he pounced to bundle home at the far post from a loose ball on 11 minutes.
The Blues doubled their advantage midway through the second half as Michael Keane met Anthony Gordon’s corner with a well-taken header.
In the closing stages, Gordon assured maximum points when a sweeping effort from Richarlison clipped him before nestling in the Gwladys Street’s net.
Here were the key talking points from Goodison Park:
Blues already starting to look up
Talk about a new manager bounce.
Frank Lampard’s first 12 days in charge have stirred something in Everton.
The final score told only half the story of a maiden Premier League win in over two months and alarmingly only their second across the previous five.
At the very outset, the Blues played with a relentless intensity, and the half-time statistics underlined a seismic shift in approach after barely a fortnight.
They finished the opening 45 minutes with seven shots on target, a feat they last achieved in any first half since Marco Silva’s tenure back in March 2019.
Further history was eclipsed after the interval as that tally rose to 10 and 21 attempts overall to match the previous feat in 2013, some 314 games ago.
Lampard will, rightly, hold fire on hailing this Everton’s renaissance after just two home games yet the early signs are that things may finally be looking up.
Van de Beek shows his true class
Evertonians were offered a glimpse of what Donny van de Beek can offer during a 30-minute cameo in the midweek defeat at St James’ Park.
The Manchester United loanee produced flashes of qualities in the North East which were often stifled during the previous 18 months with his parent club.
Van de Beek is far more than a £35 million flop that his unhappy spell at Old Trafford would suggest and showed as much against Marcelo Bielsa’s side.
Operating in a double pivot with Allan, he produced the type of consummate display which earned his midfield partner rave reviews throughout last term.
That influence extended to Everton breaking the deadlock with a clever pass in the penalty area that culminated in Seamus Coleman turning the ball home.
The Gwladys Street knows a thing or two about class acts, so it came as little surprise they serenaded Van de Beek regularly from the 15 minute onwards.
Misfits given new lease of life
Lampard’s Year Zero outlook has meant a clean slate for everyone currently in the first-team ranks at Goodison Park, no matter how poor their perception.
Handing Alex Iwobi a first outing of 2022, having missed the past six weeks due to the Africa Cup of Nations, was a clear sign of that open-minded view.
The Nigeria international remains a much-maligned figure for his frustrating displays in a royal blue shirt and this inclusion raised an eyebrow among fans.
But Iwobi repaid that faith with one of his better displays in the past two-and-a-half years at Everton as a regular creative outlet from the right wing.
Another heavily derided misfit also vindicated his manager’s lack of prejudice as Salomon Rondon replaced Richarlison in the final five minutes of the game.
Like Iwobi, the Venezuelan has endured his fair share of criticism but drew a good stop from Illan Meslier after meeting Dele Alli’s cross with a sharp volley.
That Rondon resembled something close to a proficient striker after months of appearing constantly lumpen is further proof Lampard’s stance is paying off.