New Everton manager Frank Lampard will of course be determined to get off to a flyer against Brentford in the FA Cup but he’ll also be expected to emulate the bright starts previous Blues bosses have made in recent years.
Everton have won just one of their last 15 matches inside 90 minutes (you could argue none as Demarai Gray's dramatic strike against Arsenal came two minutes into stoppage time).
However, history is perhaps on Lampard's side, though, given that none of the Blues managers appointed in the 21st century having suffered defeat in their first match in charge.
Indeed, you have to go back to the opening game of the late Howard Kendall’s third spell when the Everton legend suffered a 2-1 Goodison reversal to Crystal Palace on August 9, 1997 for such a setback.
Here’s a round-up of how other Everton managers since then have fared in their first games at the helm.
Walter Smith
August 15, 1998: Drew 0-0 v Aston Villa (home)
Heading south of the border after a glittering managerial career with Rangers who he steered to the last seven of their nine Scottish titles in a row - equalling Celtic's record - Smith was able to hand debuts to three big name signings from the continent along with Alec Cleland who he knew from their time at Ibrox.
Italian centre-back Marco Materazzi and French midfielder Olivier Dacourt were still both relative unknowns to British fans despite their considerable fees but the arrival of Scotland international John Collins from Monaco, one of Smith's former Old Firm rivals, was seen as a considerable coup.
The 30-year-old, who had netted from the penalty spot for Scotland against defending champions Brazil in the World Cup's opening game earlier that summer, could have given Smith the perfect start here in similar circumstances but saw his effort from 12 yards saved by Australian goalkeeper Mark Bosnich after Gareth Southgate had brought down John Spencer in the area just eight minutes into the contest.
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David Moyes
March 16, 2002: Won 2-1 v Fulham (home)
The 38-year-old Scot got his new fans onside before kick-off when he dubbed Everton ‘The People’s Club’ but the football did the talking here.
David Unsworth got the Blues off to a dream start when he netted after just 32 seconds and when Duncan Ferguson doubled their advantage on 13 minutes they seemed to be on easy street.
Things are seldom so straightforward, though, and the home side were reduced to 10 men on 28 minutes when Thomas Gravesen was sent off for his second bookable offence.
The dismissal prompted a nervous second half – especially after Steed Malbranque reduced arrears on 52 minutes – but Everton clung on for victory.
Roberto Martinez
August 17, 2013: Drew 2-2 v Norwich City (away)
Perhaps typically for Martinez, it was a high-scoring affair that swung one way then the other at Carrow Road.
Steven Whittaker fired the Canaries in front on 51 minutes before Ross Barkley equalised nine minutes later.
Seamus Coleman – who’d enjoy his most-prolific scoring season that term with seven – put the visitors ahead on 65 minutes but Dutch striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel (with a debut goal which proved to be his only Premier League strike in 25 games at the club) netted six minutes later to earn a share of the spoils.
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Ronald Koeman
August 13, 2016: Drew 1-1 v Tottenham Hotspur (home)
Having netted the first goal of the Martinez era, home-grown hero Barkley repeated the trick for Ronald Koeman some three years later to fire Everton into an early lead against Spurs.
However, they again had to settle for a point after Argentinian winger Erik Lamela levelled just before the hour mark.
Sam Allardyce
December 2, 2017: Won 2-0 v Huddersfield Town (home)
Having taken on one of his supposed relegation rescue missions when accepting the job, ‘Fireman Sam’ Allardyce found his new team in the top half of the table after this win followed up a 4-0 thrashing of his former club West Ham United in caretaker boss Unsworth’s final game in charge three days earlier.
Gylfi Sigurdsson broke the deadlock two minutes into the second half before Calvert-Lewin sealed victory 17 minutes from the end.
Marco Silva
August 11, 2018: Drew 2-2 v Wolverhampton Wanderers (away)
Silva faced Portuguese compatriot Nuno Espirito Santo in what was Wolves’ Premier League return after six years outside the top flight.
New signing Richarlison, whose £40million fee from Silva’s former club Watford had supposedly 'spoiled the window' according to Paul Merson, immediately set about repaying his price tag when he fired Everton ahead on 17 minutes.
The balance of the game swung on 40 minutes though as Blues captain Phil Jagielka was sent off for a foul on Diogo Jota and to add salt into the wounds, the hosts equalised from Ruben Neves’ resultant free-kick.
Despite being reduced to 10 men, Richarlison struck a second midway through the second half to restore the visitors’ lead.
They’d be pegged back again though 10 minutes from the end as Raul Jimenez headed in to rescue a point.
Carlo Ancelotti
December 26, 2019: Won 1-0 v Burnley (home)
Having watched Everton’s goalless stalemate with Arsenal five days earlier from the Goodison Park directors’ box, a few seats along from former Blues midfielder Mikel Arteta who was also poised to take charge of the Gunners, Ancelotti made a Boxing Day bow.
An instant hit with the fans, the highly-decorated manager nevertheless produced a display of what became some typical Carlo Catenaccio to eke out a 1-0 victory thanks to Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s diving header 10 minutes from full-time.
Rafa Benitez
August 14, 2021: Won 3-1 v Southampton (home)
Benitez’s first game in charge saw a capacity crowd at Goodison Park for the first time since before the first coronavirus-induced lockdown – a 1-1 draw against Manchester United on March 1 2020 when his predecessor Ancelotti was sent off after the final whistle for protesting about Calvert-Lewin's last-minute winning goal being disallowed.
Despite reservations from many home fans about the controversial appointment of the former Liverpool manager, there was a fervent atmosphere for his team.
Southampton were gifted the opening goal on 22 minutes though by Michael Keane as debutant Alan Armstrong curled the ball into the top corner of Jordan Pickford's net.
However, Everton fought back strongly after the break with Richarlison levelling proceedings two minutes after the restart, poking home from Andros Townsend's header.
The Blues went ahead on 76 minutes as Abdoulaye Doucoure smashed into the top corner before Calvert-Lewin added a third five minutes later with a diving header at the near post.
