As pre-match pyrotechnics sent blue smoke arching in the direction of the River Mersey, it was a day of new beginnings for Everton – and for a player who risked becoming one of the Premier League's great lost talents.

Everton were playing the first Premier League game at their magnificent new state-of-the-art stadium, finally leaving Goodison Park behind after 133 years.

Supporters gathered in their thousands hours before kick-off, making their way from the famous Liver Birds at the Pier Head to Hill Dickinson Stadium for a historic day, the start of what Everton hope will be a prosperous new era after years of financial and footballing struggle.

And the name on so many fans' lips was that of Jack Grealish, released from life in the shadows at Manchester City to start again on loan at Everton, the most high-profile arrival at the club this summer.

Grealish, who will turn 30 in September, has lived life on the margins under Pep Guardiola in recent seasons, making only seven league starts last term.

He has the motivation of knowing England head coach Thomas Tuchel is a confirmed admirer, with the World Cup on the horizon next summer. The goal is obvious.

So the stage was set, Grealish instantly feeling the love of more than 50,000 Everton fans as he swiftly showed a desire to take on defenders, a quality that seemed lost in his latter days at City.

Everton's performance may not have been perfect, but on a day when only victory mattered, they achieved the desired outcome with a 2-0 win against Brighton, with Grealish playing a significant role.

He felt, for the first time in a long time, the buzz of the crowd when the ball was at his feet, and it took only 23 minutes for Grealish to deliver exactly what Everton manager David Moyes wanted when he made his pitch to lure him to Merseyside from Etihad Stadium.

Grealish drove deep into the Brighton penalty area, leaving Mats Wieffer in his wake before drilling a cross to the far post, where the incoming Iliman Ndiaye made a difficult finish look easy.

It was Grealish in the one-on-one territory he loved so much at his peak, and how he relished the release of emotion and celebration with Ndiaye.

Grealish's second assist was a more routine affair, a short pass to James Garner which the latter drilled emphatically past Bart Verbruggen from 25 yards.

In 52 minutes, Grealish had provided the same number of assists as he had done in the last two Premier League campaigns with Manchester City.

It was only the third time in the Premier League that he had recorded two or more assists in a match, having provided three against Liverpool in October 2020 and two against Leeds United in December 2022.

Grealish should have had a third assist in the closing stages when he put a chance on a plate for Dwight McNeil, only for the substitute to make a complete hash of the opportunity with a miskick in front of a gaping goal.

It was not just the attacking aspects of Grealish's play that impressed. He was more than willing to do the dirty work when required.

Grealish won possession the most times for Everton (7) and was also joint-top for tackles with three, alongside Ndiaye.

As his career declined at City, Grealish appeared to take the easy option of a pass too often, reducing his effectiveness, but here he was Everton's most progressive player, carrying the ball at least five metres on seven occasions.

With victory assured, Everton manager Moyes took the opportunity to let Grealish enjoy the acclaim of a standing ovation when he was replaced by youngster Harrison Armstrong four minutes into stoppage time.

Grealish, sporting a smile that looked like it might have to be surgically removed and which he sported throughout the game, said: "Brilliant, brilliant day.

"We were saying before the game that we wanted to put on a show for the fans. For the club itself, it was a big day coming into the new stadium. It was the perfect day.

"I think we dedicated that one to all of the fans. It is a pleasure to play for this team in this stadium."

Grealish was delighted with his assists, saying: "For me, it is just as important. Scoring goals in football is so important, but when I played with Kevin de Bruyne, he was the one I learned so much off in football.

"Assisting is just as good as scoring, in my own opinion. Providing the assist for your team-mates is a special feeling. When I'm here, all I want to do is do good things for this club, and hopefully we can push on and provide more goals and assists.

"I felt really good. It was nice. I don't want to get into saying I didn't feel free before [at Manchester City]. Out there I could drift, I could do what I want more or less and play with a bit of freedom, take more risks. I feel like I have done that."

Everton lost at Leeds in their opening game, so to get off the mark brought relief along with the jubilation.

Moyes was delighted, telling BBC Sport: "That's what we have been hoping for and waiting for. We want to add that extra quality and that's what we are trying to do. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack both played exceptionally well. We are thrilled we are adding a bit more quality and we need to score some more goals, which we got.

"We played more like Everton after the game at Leeds United. We had to do the Everton things."

The sun shone as Everton fans gathered around the stadium after this landmark win, the ideal start and just the tonic after a desperate performance in defeat at Elland Road.

Moyes felt it was maybe "written in the stars" that he would return for a second spell at Everton to lead them into their new home.

He said: "Someone will be standing here interviewing a manager here in 100 years' time. We'll be well gone, but we started it off today and I hope that the history of the future will be talked about a lot."

This was only a start, only one victory - but it was exactly what Everton and Jack Grealish wanted. (BBC)