Everton beat West Ham 2-0 this afternoon in a very watchable game of football.
Before the first whistle, much of the talk concerned the two team's contrasting recent form with the Hammers actually in the ascendancy.
Of course, the visitors have had the worse start to the season compared to the hosts but with three wins from three in all competitions from their last games going into this one, they had reason to be confident against Everton who had not won since September.
The Hammers confidence was evident at the start of the game, too, when really they should have taken the lead and that failure to do so gradually let Everton into the match.
0-0 it was at half-time but that soon changed as Romelu Lukaku nodded home to break the deadlock. Ross Barkley would then make it two with a controlled far-post finish as the Toffees eventually outlasted their opposition and that is how it would stay to full-time.
Three welcome points for the blue half of Merseyside, then, and here are five pictures to help sum it all up...
Bilic sees side fall short
To start with, this game looked like one for the taking for West Ham. The first 20 or so minutes saw the Hammers have the better of the ball and could have, and perhaps should have, taken the lead. Their game-plan seemed to be going well and on another day, they would have won this game.
As it went, though, the Hammers lost out and now Bilic needs to pick them straight back up.
West Ham lacking firepower
What let West Ham down, once again, was their lack of presence up top.
Whilst Michail Antonio has done okay at times when asked to play as the striker he couldn't quite get into things today, as you'd expect from a man still learning that role.
Simone Zaza would come on for the east Londoners but had very little impact and so a striker must be top of Bilic's shopping list in January.
Bolasie the spark
In as tight a game as this one it was looking increasingly likely that one sharp bit of thinking would make the difference and that is exactly what happened.A loose ball in the area was jumped on by Yannick Bolasie who reacted quickest and duly squared the ball for Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian then had the easiest of jobs to steer his header home into an empty net and promptly thanked his supplier for his delivery.
A loose ball in the area was jumped on by Yannick Bolasie who reacted quickest and duly squared the ball for Romelu Lukaku. The Belgian then had the easiest of jobs to steer his header home into an empty net and promptly thanked his supplier for his delivery.
The Belgian then had the easiest of jobs to steer his header home into an empty net and promptly thanked his supplier for his delivery.
Cloud nine for Lukaku
West Ham fans were already sick of the sight of seeing the Belgian score against them so today's latest goal, his ninth in nine games against them, will have come as a real (expected) kick in the teeth.
It was the easiest goal the striker has managed to score against the east London side but he won't care one bit against his favourite opposition in the league.
Case for the (makeshift) defence
Everton's defence had three deputies in it's make-up. At left-back continued Bryan Oviedo with Leighton Baines still out. Ramiro Funes Mori came
Ramiro Funes Mori came in to the centre-half position ahead of Phil Jagielka and Joel took up the 'keepers position with Maarten Stekelenburg out of the squad. Nevertheless, this chopping and changing did no damage as the Toffees earned a clean-sheet.
Nevertheless, this chopping and changing did no damage as the Toffees earned a clean-sheet.