Brighton suffered a painful 2-0 loss as Everton started life in their impressive new Hill Dickinson Stadium with a victory against the Seagulls.
Everton’s loan signing from Manchester City, Jack Grealish, added the class with two assists as goals from Iliman Ndiaye and James Garner sealed the historic win.
Brighton though could easily have been two-up. Yankuba Minteh was a menace down the right flank and his run and cross teed-up Danny Welbeck on 15 minutes, who somehow scooped the ball over the bar from close range.
Kaoru Mitoma was then desperately unlucky as the Japan international cracked a brilliant volley against the bar. Jordan Pickford was well beaten and it would have been a fine first goal to grace the new stadium.
Fabian Hurzeler's team were made to pay. Grealish teased Albion full back Mats Wieffer before pinging a cross to the far post and Ndiaye tapped home for a first ever Premier League goal at their new home.
Brighton refused to sit back and Jan Paul van Hecke saw his long-range effort hit the post, via a deflection and Matt O'Riley really should have scored after he latched on to James Tarkowski's back pass.
Jack Hinshelwood came on for Carlos Baleba at halftime but a hammer blow soon arrived. On 52 minutes Idrissa Gueye's excellent first time pass found Grealish, who teed-up James Garner and his low shot from 25 yards evaded Bart Verbruggen's outstretched right hand. Verbruggen will be disappointed with that.
Hurzeler needed something to go his way, anything… And their chance came with almost 15 to go when Minteh's powerful effort crashed into the arms of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.
A penalty was awarded but Danny Welbeck's tame effort was saved. Matt O'Riley, who scored from the spot last week against Fulham, was the first to console him.
Hurzeler looked to his bench but with Georginio injured, Joao Pedro and Simon Adingra sold and Evan Ferguson on loan in Italy, Brighton lacked game-changing options. Van Hecke was up front for the final stages. Here’s how the Seagulls rated…
1. Bart Verbruggen 5
Little he could do with the first goal but he will be disappointed not to get a hand on the second. He was down in time but mis-judged the flight. Photo: Michael Regan
2. Mats Wieffer 5
It was always going to be a tough ask for Wieffer up against Grealish on his home debut. He was just a whisker away from stopping his cross for Everton's opener. Booked and little in the way of attacking threat. Photo: Clive Mason
3. Lewis Dunk 6
The skipper was defensively solid and decent enough in possession. Photo: Clive Mason
4. Jan Paul Van Hecke 6
Cracked the post with a deflected effort and defended pretty well. He played up front in the final stages. Photo: DARREN STAPLES