Everton secured their first win of the season after beating West Ham 1-0 thanks to a second-half Neal Maupay strike.
The Toffees had drawn four Premier league games in a row and looked in danger of slipping into the relegation zone ahead of the international break.
But they were dominant against a Hammers side lacking in confidence and who struggled to add to their three Premier League goals this season.
Maupay, who joined from Brighton in August for £15 million, picked up Alex Iwobi’s pass and his rifled effort on the bounce caught a diving Lukasz Fabianski off guard.
The visitors picked up the pace after going a goal down and Michail Antonio saw a header saved by Asmir Begovic before Said Benrahma’s effort cannoned off the post.
But they were unable to find a leveller and remain in 18th place as their miserable start to the campaign continues.
Everton boss Frank Lampard, who celebrated with his club’s fans at full-time, was delighted to see his team’s efforts finally pay off.
“The reality is that we’ve worked really hard this season and probably deserved a bit more from certain games,” Lampard said. “We held on, fought, dug in, and we will get better for sure but it’s important to celebrate when you play a team the level of West Ham.
“The fans are amazing. This team has to be a reflection of the fans, and we are not unique in that, but the passion of the fans and how they demand things, we have players who can deliver that and characters in the team.
“We want to build from the back and through the spine of the team. We had some lovely passages of play and we will get better at that.
“But we are not getting carried away and there’s a long way to go.”
Maupay was brought in as Everton struggled for goals in the absence of the injured Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Lampard was thrilled to see his new striker open his Toffees tally.
“He [Maupay] is a proven Premier League goal scorer and there have been times in games where more clinical finishing would have got us points,” added Lampard. “Neal is that kind of guy. It gives us another dimension.
“But we have to stay hard to beat and not concede.”
