EVERTON justified the pre-season optimism as Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s header earned the side an impressive 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur in their Premier League opener Sunday.

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti believes that Everton will compete with the Premier League’s top six this season. He has been heavily backed with the signings of James Rodriguez, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Allan, and the Toffees looked a much-improved side on the one that finished 12th last season as they were thoroughly deserving winners at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“We showed we can compete, which is the most important message, that we can compete if the spirit is good, if the attitude is good,” said Ancelotti.

Spurs are also hoping for an upturn in Jose Mourinho’s first full season as boss, but the hosts looked short on ideas as they slipped to a damaging home defeat for their aspirations of mounting a challenge to get back into the top four this season.

“I didn’t like my team,” said Mourinho, who complained of the free-kick leading to Everton’s goal and his players’ lack of preparation time in a shortened pre-season.

“After their goal we were poor. We were not physically strong. The team lacks physical condition,” he said.(SD-Agencies)