Southampton providing the opposition in both the final home game under Sam Allardyce last season and the first under new manager Marco Silva on Saturday added fitting context to the result as Everton ran out 2-1 winners at Goodison Park.
Booed off after limping to a barely deserved 1-1 draw in the corresponding fixture in May, Everton were unrecognisable from that dismal display, even though the once-again impressive Richarlison was the only new addition in the starting XI.
Thanks to a proactive approach, Everton resembled a team again and the supporters united and got behind the efforts of the players.