As pre-match pyrotechnics despatched blue smoke arching within the course of the River Mersey, it was a day of recent beginnings for Everton – and for a participant who risked changing into one of many Premier League's nice misplaced abilities.
Everton have been taking part in the primary Premier League sport at their magnificent new state-of-the-art stadium, lastly leaving Goodison Park behind after 133 years.
Supporters gathered of their 1000's hours earlier than kick-off, making their approach from the well-known Liver Birds on the Pier Head to Hill Dickinson Stadium for a historic day, the beginning of what Everton hope might be a affluent new period after years of monetary and footballing battle.
And the identify on so many followers' lips was that of Jack Grealish, launched from life within the shadows at Manchester Metropolis to start out once more on mortgage at Everton, essentially the most high-profile arrival on the membership this summer time.
Grealish, who will flip 30 in September, has lived life on the margins below Pep Guardiola in current seasons, making solely seven league begins final time period.
He has the motivation of figuring out England head coach Thomas Tuchel is a confirmed admirer, with the World Cup on the horizon subsequent summer time. The aim is clear.
So the stage was set, Grealish immediately feeling the love of greater than 50,000 Everton followers as he swiftly confirmed a want to tackle defenders, a top quality that appeared misplaced in his latter days at Metropolis.
Everton's efficiency might not have been good, however on a day when solely victory mattered, they achieved the specified final result with a 2-0 win towards Brighton, with Grealish taking part in a big position.
He felt, for the primary time in a very long time, the thrill of the group when the ball was at his ft, and it took solely 23 minutes for Grealish to ship precisely what Everton supervisor David Moyes needed when he made his pitch to lure him to Merseyside from Etihad Stadium.
Grealish drove deep into the Brighton penalty space, leaving Mats Wieffer in his wake earlier than drilling a cross to the far publish, the place the incoming Iliman Ndiaye made a troublesome end look simple.
It was Grealish within the one-on-one territory he cherished a lot at his peak, and the way he relished the discharge of emotion and celebration with Ndiaye.
