An eventful 1-0 win against Stoke on Saturday has perennial slow starters Everton heading to the international break with seven points from nine, their best points haul after this early stage since 2006-07.
This was the type of game in which Everton regularly dropped points last season but there was no late heartbreak here as the Blues won successive league games for the first time since February. After missing numerous chances of their own either side of a Leighton Baines penalty ending in a Shay Given own goal, the hosts survived Stoke hitting the woodwork and making a hash of an open goal.