Leighton Baines against Norwich on the opening day of last season
Last season Roberto Martinez’s Everton FC were the stat-busters.
Their wonderful debut campaign under the Catalan resulted in a flurry of firsts.
More points than in another Premier League campaign, a 20-year hoodoo overturned at Old Trafford, and more wins than ever before in the current top flight format to name a few.
Martinez insists nobody will be resting on their laurels in the Blues camp ahead of the new term though, and today is the perfect chance to prove it.
If they are to get off to the winning start that will give them a spring in their step, the Toffees will have to consign another ugly record to the history books.
They haven’t tasted victory on their travels on the opening day of the season since, wait for it, Saturday August 18, 2001, when Walter Smith’s side beat Charlton Athletic 2-1 at the Valley, thanks to goals from David Weir and Duncan Ferguson.
Much has changed since from those days of less than inspiring football under the Scot, not least Ferguson who is now plotting how to help the Blues attack flourish from the dug-out rather than on the pitch.
Of course a first day day win helps, but is it really that important? Well last season a triumph at Carrow Road might have engendered enough confidence for Everton to go and win their other winnable games in that opening month against Cardiff City and West Brom.
Instead they drew all three, dropping six points that could have made all the difference in their dog-fight with Arsenal for fourth spot.
That was eventually won by the Gunners by a seven-point margin.
It would have been interesting to see how the Londoners might have coped had Everton been breathing even more closely down their necks in the spring.
Ross Barkley’s supremely untimely injury has made a difficult task, in going away to newly-promoted, on a high Leicester, even harder.
The Foxes won’t have forgotten how they won this fixture only a few weeks ago in the heat and humidity of Bangkok either.
If anything the psychological advantage is theirs.
But that’s where Martinez has a canny knack of prospering.
Where ther is negativity - he spreads light.
Losing Barkley would cast a pall over many dressing rooms.
It certainly won’t fill the supporters driving to the Midlands this morning with plenty of cheer.
After all the 20-year-old, who only signed a new five-year deal just over a fortnight ago, provided some of their finer moments on the road last season.
Cast your mind back to that staggering goal at St James’ Park for starters.
But Martinez won’t allow anyone to wallow.
Everton are tasked with improving on a highly impressive season. It won’t be easy.
Don’t underestimate how three points today could really boost that aim.
