Ronald Koeman has praised Everton for succeeding amid the growing expectations that came as a consequence of last week's 4-0 defeat of Manchester City.
Saturday's 1-0 Premier League victory at Crystal Palace represented their third from four games, as well as a continuation of the high standards demonstrated when the surprise performance against City brought the best result of Koeman's managerial reign.
Tom Davies, Mason Holgate and Ademola Lookman, three of those given so much praise post-City, again impressed at Selhurst Park - the latter again as a substitute - while Ross Barkley consistently provided their biggest threat.
The team that had struggled after a promising start under Koeman, and that had at times began to look like an ageing side, has been transformed into one of youthful promise by those young players' collective emergence.
Morgan Schneiderlin's arrival has also further increased Everton's squad depth, and after 18-year-old Davies' pass provided Seamus Coleman's goal at Palace, Koeman said: "He did well. He worked well, but that was for the whole team.
"A lot of young players got the attention last week because the whole team did well.
"If you beat City, with that big result, everybody expected the same result (at Palace), but in some ways it was more difficult than last week.
"Difficult opponents. Strong physically, and I am really proud and pleased with the win because the attitude was perfect and after last week it is fantastic.
"(Schneiderlin on the bench is) what we like to have: that competition. He is normally a player who likes to start but it was not fair to drop a player who played last week.
"That is the reason I started with the same XI as last weekend, but that is good I can bring on (his) quality."
The three points were secured despite a resilient performance from Palace that suggested they are both gradually growing in belief and adjusting to new manager Sam Allardyce's methods.
Their goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey was particularly impressive - without him Palace could have been several goals down by half-time - but he told the club's official website Coleman's late winning goal had left them feeling "devastated".
"It's not like we're playing and not creating chances or anything like that," said the 29-year-old. "We're actually doing really well - it's just not running for us at the moment (in the final third); hopefully that can change.
"We're devastated right now.
"I'm proud, but I'm in that position to get clean sheets and I haven't produced many clean sheets, I've only got one this season. I need to start keeping more clean sheets."
Source: PA
