David Moyes knew a honeymoon period for his return to Everton would be a big ask as he renewed vows with the club he served so well for 11 years.
The Scot has taken on a team with one league win in 11 before last night and faced an Aston Villa side chasing a Champions League spot again. So an opening defeat may be a disappointment but not a surprise.
There were some positive signs. It’s just the same problems persist. A lack of attacking threat, a ruthless finisher who can fire this side out of trouble. Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s late miss when The Toffees threatened an equaliser further proof of that.
Moyes is no magician. It will take time to get it right but he has, unlike Sean Dyche in recent weeks, a Goodison Park behind him.
The returning manager hit all the right notes beforehand as he sprinkled some positivity around a blue half of Merseyside covered in doom and gloom all season.
Moyes was also asked about Howard Kendall’s quote when he returned here in the 1990s from Manchester City. For Kendall working at other clubs were “love affairs” but Everton was a “marriage”.
The second marriage for Moyes got underway but after a superb reception for his return after 12 years, was the realisation of the task ahead for the former Manchester United boss. Ollie Watkins’ second-half strike was enough for Villa to end a run of five away defeats in the Premier League and help them keep pace with their top-four chasing rivals.
At the other end of the table, Everton will be looking over their shoulder for some time yet at the bottom three. This game will only sharpen into focus the need for “elite signings” as Moyes said beforehand. A goalscorer is a must this month.
After 11 years here and then 12 away, Moyes emerged from the tunnel as the teams were being read out and stepped out briefly onto the pitch to wave to the crowd. When his name was read out, it was met with a supportive roar.
An approval from the home fans for The Friedkin Group’s decision to replace Dyche with a familiar face. In Moyes’ first game in 2002, David Unsworth put them ahead in less than 30 seconds as they beat Fulham 2-1.
This is an Everton side which has failed to score in nine out of their last 11 Premier League games now. With a striker in Calvert-Lewin who hasn’t netted in 15 games.
Calvert-Lewin fired wide midway through the half before Abdoulaye Doucoure turned a cross at Emi Martinez. Morgan Rogers had earlier forced Jordan Pickford into a good stop after former Toffee Amadou Onana had a shot deflected wide.
Watkins got the opener six minutes after the restart. He made no mistake when Rogers put him through as Pickford hesitated after Jarrad Branthwaite had earlier surrendered possession.
Everton pushed for an equaliser and caused some chaos in the Villa box but when the chance finally came it fell to Calvert-Lewin in stoppage time and he fluffed it.
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