Shay Given's own goal early in the second half was enough to give Everton a 1-0 win over Stoke City at Goodison Park.
The Toffees had the better of the chances across the 90 minutes on Merseyside, but required a huge slice of luck to earn the three points which keeps their unbeaten start intact.
Stoke had a couple of openings of their own, yet they never truly troubled Maarten Stekelenburg in the Everton goal to make it just one point from nine for them.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Everton and Stoke City at Goodison Park. The Toffees are looking to maintain their unbeaten start to life under new boss Ronald Koeman this afternoon, while the visitors will aim to get their season up and running following a stuttered opening fortnight under Mark Hughes.
We are still very much in the early days of the campaign, but both teams will be desperate to take all three points from this showdown on Merseyside which should, fingers crossed, provide an entertaining clash. Before checking out the two teams in a little more detail, let us first turn attention to some confirmed team news from Goodison Park.
TEAM NEWS!
EVERTON XI: Stekelenburg; Baines, Williams, Jagielka, Holgate; Barry, Gueye; Bolasie, Mirallas, Barkley; Lukaku
STOKE CITY XI: Given; Bardsley, Shawcross, Cameron, Pieters; Whelan, Imbula; Diouf, Allen, Arnautovic; Crouch
Let's start by looking at the away team, which shows three changes from last time out. There were suggestions in the week that Peter Crouch, linked heavily with a move away from the bet365 Stadium this summer, would start up top for the Potters this afternoon following his mid-week hat-trick against Stevenage in the EFL Cup. Crouch does indeed get the nod up top, in what appears to be a 4-2-3-1 formation for the visitors.
Erik Pieters, Giannelli Imbula and Mame Diouf all return to the starting lineup, meanwhile, with the latter lining up alongside Marko Arnautovic and the more-advanced-than-usual Joe Allen in a three-man attacking midfield. Hughes has been forced to shuffle things around slightly due to the absence of Xherdan Shaqiri, who did not make the trip to Merseyside, while Jack Butland and Glen Johnson are both still nursing injuries.
Interesting to see no Jon Walters in the Stoke starting lineup this afternoon, with some suggesting that he would feature ahead of Diouf on the right of the Potters' advanced three midfielders. The Irishman hardly has the best of records against today's opponents, though, having failed to score in any of his 11 games - his joint-longest such run against any Premier League side.
In terms of the home side, Ashley Williams and Yannick Bolasie are given their full debuts this afternoon after featuring against Yeovil Town in the EFL Cup in midweek. Williams, a £12m summer signing from Swansea City, takes his place in the heart of defence alongside Phil Jagielka, while the talented Mason Holgate moves out wide to fill in for the injured Seamus Coleman.
Koeman also appears to have gone with a 4-2-3-1 formation this afternoon, and not the five at the back that some predicted, with Gareth Barry - a goalscorer against West Bromwich Albion last week - and Idrissa Gueye the men sitting deep in midfield. Bolasie will be looking to impress on his home bow, with an in-form Ross Barkley and Kevin Mirallas alongside him in attack.
No great surprise to see Romelu Lukaku start a league game for the first time this season, as he has now overcome his injury issues - and prolonged talk of an exit - to nail down the lone-striker role. The Belgian has struggled in front of goal in recent times, though, and will need to hit the ground running this afternoon to prove that he is still very much worth the £60m that Everton value him at.
BENCH WATCH!
EVERTON SUBS: Joel, Deulofeu, Kone, Lennon, Oviedo, Funes Mori, Davies
STOKE CITY SUBS: Haugaard, Muniesa, Adam, Walters, Bojan, Ramadan, Ngoy
Gerard Deulofeu has been tasked with standing in up top in the absence of Lukaku, while Arouna Kone also bagged a brace in midweek, but both are left on the bench for this one. There is no place for Ramiro Funes Mori in the starting lineup now that Williams is in town, meanwhile, and Darron Gibson, James McCarthy and Tom Cleverley are all still nursing injuries.
Ronald Koeman has made a positive enough start to life at Goodison Park, taking an opening-day point from Tottenham Hotspur on home soil and all three points in last week's win at West Bromwich Albion. The mood can so quickly change, though, and anything less than a victory this afternoon - against a Stoke side yet to truly get going this term - may see the natives grow restless.
Koeman talked in the build-up to today's game about needing time to shape his side, predicting that it will take another two seasons - and four transfer windows - to turn Everton into a real force in the Premier League. The Dutchman has spent wisely enough this summer, bringing in aforementioned duo Williams and Bolasie, as well as Maarten Stekelenburg and Idrissa Gueye.
The goalkeeping situation at Everton does not appear too clear at the moment, as the Toffees have been linked with a few high-profile names during the window - most recently Joe Hart and Salvatore Sirigu - but appear set to stick with Stekelenburg between the sticks, with Joel Robles the man to provide cover until the January window at least. Yacine Brahimi and Lucas Perez have also been linked, but Koeman must surely have given up hope of landing the latter by now.
Arguably more important than any incoming business, or at least on a par with signing players, was keeping hold of Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian has been off the boil of late, not helped at the start of this season by a niggling injury problem but, with uncertainty over his future now a thing of the past for the time being, we may well see Lukaku back to his best for the visit of Stoke today.
DID YOU KNOW? On the subject of Lukaku, the Belgian fired another blank in the midweek EFL Cup tie against Yeovil Town, despite being presented with a few decent opportunities, to see his run without a goal extend. In the Premier League, it is now 10 games since his last goal or assist - his longest such run without finding the net in his career. But the good news for the ex-Chelsea striker is that he has three goals in his last two against Stoke, following a previous run of one in six.
So while things are looking positive at this stage for Everton, the season has not got off to the finest of starts for Stoke. It has hardly been a disastrous opening fortnight either, in truth, with the Potters drawing against newly-promoted Middlesbrough on the opening day before being beaten 4-1 by Manchester City. There was also a big cup win against Stevenage in the week, with Crouch showing signs that he can still find the net when called upon.
Stoke were poor in that opening game against Boro at the Riverside, but they did marginally improve as the contest went on and just about deserved their leveller through Xherdan Shaqiri's set-piece brilliance. They were also a tad unlucky in that defeat to Man City, conceding a penalty before pegging their opponents back once falling two behind, only for Nolito to add a late double to make the scoreline look far more one-sided.
Hughes is very much still in the market for more recruits at this stage, particularly up top where his pursuit of West Brom's Saido Berahino has gone cold over the past few weeks. The Potters failed with a bid or two for the England Under-21s ace and, with just four days of the window left to run, it is unlikely that they will get their man. Phil Jones of Manchester United is another confirmed target, but it remains to be seen exactly what his status is at Old Trafford.
City have so far brought in Allen and Ramadan Sobhi, the latter of whom is a substitute once again this afternoon, but we can surely expect more players to arrive ahead of their next outing following the two-week international break. Hughes has changed things around for this tricky trip to Goodison Park by bringing in Crouch up top, rewarding the striker for his display in midweek.
Stoke can hardly boast the best run of form at the present time having picked up only two wins from their last 12 outings, including defeats in exactly half of those outings, stretching back into the tail end of last season. Just 10 points from a possible 36 on offer is something that will need to be rectified if Hughes is to better - or indeed match - the club's three-successive ninth-placed finishes during his reign.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Stoke have won three of the last four matches played at Goodison Park in the Premier League, including each of the last two. Everton have scored exactly three times in the last two contests, meanwhile, falling to a 4-3 reverse here in what was a thrilling affair the last time they faced off on Merseyside. More of the same today, please!
News of an early result to bring you from elsewhere in the Premier League now - Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool sharing a point apiece following a 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane. Three of the four sides currently above Everton in the table are still to play today but, if things go their way, the Toffees could well be at the top of the pile come 5pm this evening. Stoke, on the other hand, will just be keen to drag their way up the division.
With a little under 15 minutes to go until kickoff at Goodison Park, let us now check out some of the pre-match thoughts from both camps.
Ronald Koeman: "I'm very happy with the work-rate of the team and how I like to improve and what we need to do. They are doing a lot of different things to last season and that's good. In my opinion, fresh air for everybody is good. I believe in that way and that philosophy. Of course you need time to get everybody involved in that structure. But it's better a question for the players because they need to change. I don't change."
Mark Hughes: "We enjoy going there and had a fantastic game last season. We'd take the same result, but maybe with less dramatic moments because there were too many goals and too many incidents. It's always a challenge against them when you look at the players they've got. You look at their bench at the weekend and there's significant talent there. I enjoyed my time there as a player as well and so it's always good to go back."
Koeman admitted recently that his players were not quite up to full fitness just yet, but he is "happy with the work-rate" at this stage of the season. The Toffees have take four points from a possible six so far, earning a home draw with Tottenham and taking victory away from their trip to West Brom. Stoke, with just one point to their name, will be hoping to repeat the performance of last season here when scoring four times to claim the win.
It has been a welcoming run to start the season for Koeman, the home opener with Tottenham aside, as the Dutchman prepares for games against Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Norwich City, Bournemouth and Crystal Palace over the next month. The Toffees are expected to challenge for a European spot this term, despite the Dutchman requiring two years to shape this side, so making a positive start in the early months is imperative.
Stoke's end target is a little tougher to predict, in truth, as they are still looking to add to their squad at this stage. The big question is whether another ninth-placed finish, for the fourth season in succession, would be seen as a good return for the money spent. Hughes will suggest that it is, particularly with other teams strengthening during the off-season in what is one of the most fiercely-contested divisions on the planet.
PREDICTION! A tough on to call, this. Stoke have had the better of things in this fixture in recent years, winning three of the last four here, but Everton have some momentum behind them and look good value to challenge for a place in Europe this term. I'm going to go with a 1-0 home win, although that is dependent on whether or not Lukaku turns up on what is his first league start of the season.
Both sets of players have now made their way into the tunnel area, with kickoff now less than five minutes away. There is another sell-out crowd expected at Goodison Park this afternoon, as supporters buy into this project that Koeman is putting in place here. Bolasie and Williams are both handed their debuts for the hosts, while Crouch is the big-name inclusion for Stoke in more ways than one.
We saw seven goals here the last time these two sides met, with Stoke running our 4-3 winners at the end of a thrilling contest. The Potters looking to make it three victories on the bounce here, but the mood is slightly different around these parts now, as Koeman aims to turn this venue into a fortress of sorts.
KICKOFF! Stoke City get us up and running at Goodison Park, in front of watching England manager Sam Allardyce. Everton, with four points from their first six games, looking to get off to a flying start with a couple of crunching tackles.
It is a 4-3-3 formation for the hosts, and not a 4-2-3-1 as I earlier stated. Mirallas, Barkley and Bolasie all able to provide support, but it is Lukaku who is the focal point of this Toffees side - despite his 10-game run without a goal.
Everton players looking to remain high up the pitch in an attempt to close down Stoke at the back. Barkley's link-up play with Lukaku, who dropped deep into midfield, does not quite come off and City can clear their lines.
SAVE! The first shot of the afternoon arrives via the boot of Mirallas, who decided against playing the ball out wide and instead created a yard of space to fire in a shot at goal from 25 yards out. Given, in for Butland again today, got down well to collect.
Allen the man dictating things for Stoke, with the ball being worked towards Bardsley on the right for the full-back to swing in a ball to Crouch. The lanky forward could not quite connect with the ball, but a sign of what we can expect over the next 80 minutes or so.
YELLOW CARD! Barkley enters the referee's book with a little over 10 minutes on the clock. The Englishman pulled back on Bardsley's shirt on the halfway line, putting an end to a promising Stoke attack before it could turn into anything substantial.
Arnautovic gets on the end of a loose ball but can only blast high over the bar. An evenly-matched contest so far, with both sides having attempts but neither being able to truly trouble the opposition goalkeeper.
Bardsley sends another cross into the box, but Stekelenburg is there to safely collect. Everton now struggling to get a grip on the contest, with City just about edging things when it comes to getting the ball into the area.
Bardsley has made a bright start to this contest, again getting into an advanced position and firing a shot over the bar. That is the Potters' second off-target attempt, but the signs are certainly positive in the opening quarter of this contest.
Gueye slips in Mirallas around the back of the Stoke defence for the first time today, but the Belgian was frustratingly flagged for offside. He really should have held his run there, with the Toffees through on goal if he had done so.
Stoke, as expected, getting plenty of crosses into the box. Crouch just not quite able to get his head on the end of any at the moment, but this is going to be a real tough afternoon for Holgate who is often the man coming inside the defend in the box.
CHANCE! Stoke have been on top for large parts, but the best chance of the game so far falls the way of Lukaku. Some poor defending by Shawcross gave the Belgian a chance to fire away on target, but his attempt was blocked before it could reach the target.
This game has well and truly come to life now, as the Potters get bodies up the over end and work a decent opening through Imbula. The midfielder delayed his shot, though, and the chance to make a breakthrough went begging. This contest is very well balanced at the moment.
OFF THE LINE! Brilliant defending from Crouch, as he acrobatically clears away off the line to deny Williams a debut goal. The Welshman sneaked in around the back and made contact with Mirallas's deep cross, but he just could not get the better of Crouch.
Goodison Park has now come to life following that positive bit of play, culminating in Crouch clearing Williams's attempt off the line. So very little between the two teams so far, though it is the hosts who are growing more and more into the game as Shawcross instinctively heads the ball back to his keeper from a few yards out. Hearts in mouths!
Barry takes on the shot which deflects behind for a corner. The set-piece is into a good area but no player in a blue shirt can connect with the ball, and Stoke are given a chance to breath following a strong period of Everton pressure.
Allen the man pulling the strings for his side at the moment, as Stoke attempt to wrestle back some control of the game, but it is Everton who are looking the brighter in front of goal. Lukaku is picked out in a good position, only for his cut-back to be cut out.
SAVE! This is turning into a brilliant game for the neutral - end-to-end stuff! Mirallas does well to compose himself inside the box and fire a real belter on goal, which Given is happy to palm over the crossbar.
Mirallas tries to keep this strong spell of Everton pressure going, but his whipped cross into the box is caught at the front post by Given. The Potters very much second best now, but when they do manage to get forward they look just as dangerous.
Really good defending from Allen, who twice blocks Barkley's long-range shots from the edge of the box. Plenty of attempts from both sides, but it is Everton who look the more likely to find a first-half breakthrough.
Holgate sends in a near-perfect cross from the right, which no Everton player can slide in and meet. The Toffees desperately trying to keep the momentum going, with four minutes to go until the interval at Goodison Park.
Bolasie and Gueye team up to take Arnautovic out of the game. The Austria international stays down and is in some real pain on the field, with his afternoon seemingly over before the midway point. The physio now on the pitch to give him some treatment.
Arnautovic is OK to continue - no sympathy from the Everton fans. That little stoppage has taken the sting out of the game, with two minutes of added time to come at the end of this first half.
Lukaku gets a shot away inside the box that is blocked away, when he had Barkley better positioned alongside him. Mirallas then sends an overhead attempt wide of the target to surely signal the end of this entertaining first half.
HALF TIME: EVERTON 0-0 STOKE CITY
The two teams go into the break all square, then, with neither able to find a way through during an entertaining first half. Everton were the better side overall, growing more and more into the match following a bright Stoke City start, but in the end it would prove to be a goalless opening 45 minutes on Merseyside.
The first shot of an entertaining first half arrived via the boot of Kevin Mirallas, who opted against playing the ball out wide and instead cut inside and fired a shot on goal for Shay Given to collect. City arguably had the better of things in the opening quarter of the game, but it was Everton who were creating the better openings as Romelu Lukaku got in behind but failed to squeeze the ball past a backtracking Ryan Shawcross.
The Toffees were again to be denied by a player on the goal-line, this time by Peter Crouch who acrobatically positioned himself to clear away after Ashley Williams got on the end of a deep Mirallas cross. Home supporters spurred their side on as the pressure continued to grow, but Mirallas saw his half-volley pushed over the bar and Lukaku could not fire on target when picked out inside the box.
Crouch has looked like being the Potters' best route to goal, but the striker failed to test Stekelenburg on a single occasion in the first half. Could Hughes, or opposite number Koeman, be tempted to tinker with things at the break?
EVERTON SUBS: Joel, Deulofeu, Kone, Lennon, Oviedo, Funes Mori, Davies
STOKE CITY SUBS: Haugaard, Muniesa, Adam, Walters, Bojan, Ramadan, Ngoy
RESTART! We are back under way at Goodison Park. No half time changes made at the break, with both managers looking to see how the early stages of this second period pans out before turning to their respective benches.
CLOSE! Barkley wriggles away from Allen inside the box, turns and then drags his shot across the face of goal. The Englishman probably should have done better, in fairness, with a couple of teammate waiting to be picked out.
Everton still the side on top in the early stages of this second half. Lukaku brings the ball forward and fires in a shot that is blocked behind for a corner but, yet again, that probably was not the best choice to take with others alongside him.
OFF THE POST! Great link-up play between Lukaku and Holgate, as the latter nods the ball down to his teammate, who gets the better of Given but cannot squeeze the ball home at the near post. The post at the rescue for Stoke on this occasion.
PENALTY TO EVERTON! A tangle of legs inside the box leads to Michael Oliver, rather harshly, pointing to the penalty spot. Leighton Baines is the man to step up...
GOAL! EVERTON 1-0 STOKE CITY (SHAY GIVEN, OG)
So incredibly harsh on Shay Given, who keeps out Baines's penalty but sees the ball come back off the post and hit him on the head. Inevitably, the ball then trickles over the goal-line, meaning an own goal and an key breakthrough for Everton.
Credit to Everton, because they came out for the second half fired up and are good value for that opener - even if it was rather fortuitous in its nature. It was not a penalty, in my opinion, and even when it was awarded Baines tried his best to miss it!
OFF THE POST! Stoke within the width of the crossbar of levelling up the contest. Arnautovic met a flick-on and got the better of Stekelenburg, but his shot was superbly blocked by Baines and the ball bounced onto the bar. A real let off for the Toffees.
Stoke have done well to work their way back into this game, but they have still actually yet to test Stekelenburg in the Toffees' goal. Still half an hour left to play, though, and both teams still have all three changes left to make.
SHOT! A powerful blast from Barkley on the edge of the box, after seeing the ball played into his feet by Bolasie, is on target but well kept out by Given yet again. The Irishman having a real good game so far.
STOKE CITY SUB! Jon Walters, who does not have the best of records against Everton, is introduced for the game's first alteration. Crouch makes way, and it is fair to say that he is rather unhappy with that decision.
Walters so nearly in on goal, if not for a key Williams intervention. That is what the Welshman brings to this Everton side - the ability to read exactly where the danger is and cut it out before the opposition can capitalise.
This is the quietest spell in the game so far, which will obviously suit Everton more so than their opponents with that one-goal lead to sit back on. That said, City are slowly building some momentum and have 22 minutes to find a response.
EVERTON SUB! Barkley deals with the danger at the front post when a corner comes into the box. Koeman makes his first change, bringing on Kone for Mirallas on the 70-minute mark.
Williams again remaining solid at the back, as he reads the danger the prevent another Stoke attack. The Potters looking better now but not doing near enough to truly trouble the Toffees' backline as we approach the final quarter of the match.
SHOT! Home fans beginning to show a few nerves now, which is understandable given their form here last season. Kone, on the field for just a few minutes, pushes forward and get a tame shot on goal for Given to get down and collect.
The first 55 minutes or so of this match were all-action, but since then it has been far quieter. Everton have had a couple of shots in the meantime, both of which were kept out by an inspired Shay Given, who is standing in for the third league game in a row.
SAVE! Pieters stands a decent ball into the box, which Crouch is of course no longer around to meet, but plenty of Stoke players look to get on the end of it. Stekelenburg was there to collect, though, and Everton break up the other end through Barkley who is denied yet again by Given.
CHANCE! What a chance for Stoke to hit back in the final 10 minutes. Arnautovic looked up and squared the ball to Walters, but the Irishman must have taken his eye of the ball as he failed to connect with an empty goal to fire into.
STOKE CITY SUBS! Mark Hughes makes his final two changes at once, bringing on Bojan and Ramadan for Imbula and Diouf. The Potters probably should be level after that Walters chance, which he somewhat squandered.
CLOSE! Nice play from Everton, arguably the best attacking move of the second half, which culminates in the ball being worked to Bolasie on the edge of the box. The former Palace man set himself up well and looked to pick his spot, sending the ball just a few inches wide.
EVERTON SUB! Still around four minutes left to play at Goodison Park, and this game is still very much in the balance. Koeman brings off Barkley, who has been off the pace for the past few minutes, and brings on defensive cover in Funes Mori.
Williams always seems to be in the right spot for Everton, and he gets across to again prevent Arnautovic getting in behind. Still just that one goal separating these two teams, with probably around six minutes to come with added time.
There is indeed four more minutes to play at Goodison Park, meaning plenty of time for Stoke to respond. The closest either side has come over the past few minutes arrived moment ago, as Kone blasted his shot over the crossbar.
Allen with a sloppy tackle late into added time gives Everton a chance to extend their lead and, more importantly for the time being, eat up some valuable seconds. Baines could not quite find a way through, but there are now just 60 seconds to go.
FULL TIME: EVERTON 1-0 STOKE CITY
Referee Michael Oliver blows his whistle to signal the end of the match. It was the man in the middle who provided the game's big talking point, as he pointed to the spot following a tangling of legs between Phil Bardsley and Ashley Williams. Leighton Baines saw the ball trickle over the line via the back of Shay Given's head, meaning three points for Everton over an unlucky Stoke City side.
That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events at Goodison Park, but an on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here. Updates from the evening Premier League kickoff between Hull City and Manchester United is also now under way, so be sure to stick around for that. Enjoy!
