Independent
Rafa Benitez can breathe a little easier. His fragile Everton charge began with a 3-1 victory over Southampton, which was built on the bricks of quality, fight and resilience with debutants and those the club bank on to deliver impressing.
Ralph Hasenhuttl, conversely, will already be dreading the worst.
Where optimism and hope colours the start of a new season, the mood at Goodison was apprehensive rather than ecstatic during the warm-ups: Everton supporters grappling with a manager they don’t want, while their Southampton counterparts mourned the absence of a striker they didn’t want to lose.
It has been 11 years since Benitez was Liverpool manager, but he was. His affection and affiliation to the other team on Merseyside remained concrete through his spells in Italy, Spain and China, as well as at Chelsea and Newcastle United.
The 61-year-old – only the second man to take charge of both clubs in the city after William Edward Barclay in the late 19th century – is as steely as they come though.
While he can completely park his connection with Liverpool, it is a much harder poison to swallow for a large swathe of supporters.
But they did as kick-off approached here. When the stadium announcer offered Benitez a warm welcome as the Everton’s new manager, there were no boos and not a smidge of dissent.
The moment was marked with loud cheers and applause. Benitez clapped the home supporters in return and he, with a limited squad and financially hamstrung in the market, was off the mark.
His Everton, boosted by the availability of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Olympic gold-medalist Richarlison, began full of verve and intention with debutant Demarai Gray lively.
The summer signing sparked the move that led to the first shot of the match from Allan.
He was involved again after being fed by Seamus Coleman and fizzed in a cross that Calvert-Lewin skewed wide of the target.
A quick counter then saw Richarlison whip a dangerous ball through the six-yard area that just evaded Everton’s No9.
The scoreline remained goalless due to top goalkeeping from Alex McCarthy. A short free-kick was rolled to Everton’s other new boy, Andros Townsend, on the right and he deli…
