A hard-fought point at home to Tottenham saw Everton start a Premier League campaign with a draw for the fourth successive season. But the nature of the performance and result against Mauricio Pochettino's side was in marked contrast to their three previous opening day stalemates.
In Roberto Martinez's season-opening fixtures during his three years at the club, the Blues drew against a Norwich side later relegated and couldn't beat two newly promoted teams in Leicester and Watford. Saturday's point against visitors expected to challenge for the title signalled a pleasing first step for a team in transition.
In reality, preseason had not revealed much with regard to how Ronald Koeman intended to transform Everton.