Striker Romelu Lukaku scored against former club West Brom as Everton secured their first league win of the season at the fourth attempt.
Romelu Lukaku scores first goal of the season
Lukaku pounced on a Jonas Olsson error in the second minute before expertly curling a shot past keeper Ben Foster.
Steven Naismith should have added a second for Everton only to blaze over from eight yards.
The Baggies struggled for chances and let in another when a Kevin Mirallas shot squirmed under Foster's body.
Everton had equalled a Premier League record by conceding 10 goals in their opening three top-flight games and the clean sheet will have given manager Roberto Martinez added satisfaction.
In truth, the visitors were comfortable in containing a struggling West Brom side and, the longer the game progressed, the more dominant and confident Everton became.
The defeat for West Brom only added to the pressure on manager Alan Irvine, who was not helped by individual mistakes by his players.
There were a smattering of boos for his side at the final whistle, with the Baggies second from bottom of the table and still searching for their first win of the season.
Irvine was a player, assistant manager and head of the academy in three different spells at Everton and left the latter to take over at West Brom in the summer.
There was a warm handshake, hug and chat between Irvine and counterpart Martinez before the game, but that was where any sentiment from his former employers ended.
Irvine barely had time to sit down before his side fell behind. Lukaku, who scored 17 goals for the Baggies while on loan at The Hawthorns during the 2012-13 campaign, took full advantage of a defensive error.
Olsson could only clear a low Leighton Baines left-wing cross to the Belgian and, from just outside the area, he took a touch before an unerring finish.
Lukaku did not celebrate his effort, although it will have been little consolation for a team which won just four home games last season.
And, while the Baggies worked hard to get back into the game, their efforts were regularly undermined by a lack of composure and quality in the final third.
The Midlands club had four of their 11 summer signings in the starting line-up and they are clearly taking time to adjust.
Everton should have scored again when Lukaku had a shot parried by Foster only for Naismith to put the loose ball over from close range.
The miss did not prove costly as Foster's error from a Mirallas shot gifted Everton their second to put them out of reach.
West Brom boss Alan Irvine said: "We have to have a bit more of a cutting edge than we have at the moment.
"It has been widely said that we have brought in the most players but we have also got rid of the most as well.
"We need to win games soon."
Everton manager Roberto Martinez said: "You look back at the first three games of the season and they were positive performances but not the results you want. That was down to defensive intensity.
"It was pleasing today how well we applied ourselves at the same level but with a focus, concentration and intensity to our defensive play.
"The important aspect is that we didn't give a solid display at the expense of how we play."
West Brom boss Alan Irvine (right) was Everton's academy manager until this summer
England goalkeeper Ben Foster's error led to Everton's second
Mirallas has scored two goals for Everton in four games so far this season
BBC Sport
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