Record-breaking Sam Allardyce is off to a flying start at Everton

Sam Allardyce savoured an ideal start to his new job as he made an instant impact as Everton manager with a 2-0 home win against Huddersfield while Alan Pardew, sacked by Crystal Palace last December, said he was encouraged on his return to the hot seat despite West Brom failing to find a way past his former club.

Allardyce became the first man to manage seven clubs in the Premier League and revealed he had turned down a number of other positions before accepting an 18-month contract at Goodison Park. He has set his sights on securing a second successive seventh-place finish for Everton. “If I take a job, it is because I am totally and 100% committed,” he said. “I don’t take the job in any other circumstances. I turned many a job down before this one. I felt this to be right for me. It is a dream job for me.

“It wasn’t a difficult decision. I knew how good it was, with the history of the club and the people I know in and around the club and who have played for this club. So I have got to live up to that standard and make them better if I can and try and get them back to where they were last season as quick as I can.

“I don’t know how long it will take but I will try my very best to have the sort of season they had last year, if not better. Back-to-back wins for the first time this season: let’s hope it is onwards and upwards.”

Allardyce had a slower start in his previous survival mission, when he succeeded Pardew at Palace on a short-term contract last season, and enjoyed an earlier victory this time. “It took me six games at Palace and everyone was telling me I was coming back too soon and I was not the man I used to be,” he said.

Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored against Huddersfield after Allardyce ordered his wingers to focus on attacking. “We changed our tactics at half-time because we needed to get Gylfi and Aaron [Lennon] further up the pitch,” Allardyce said. “We told them not to chase their full-backs back. That got Gylfi in the box with a lovely flick and finish. I am so pleased for Dominic that he got a goal after his work on the front line.”

Allardyce has already turned his thoughts to the January transfer window, adding: “I know the positions we need.” He also hopes to keep Ross Barkley, who almost joined Chelsea in the summer and is out of contract next summer, but fears the midfielder may have already agreed to join another club. “If we can get Ross Barkley to stay, no one will be happier than me but I don’t know if a deal has already been done,” he said.

Palace’s Julián Speroni made several key saves to deny his former manager victory after being drafted in 25 minutes before kick-off at the Hawthorns when Wayne Hennessey suffered a back spasm in the warm-up.

“I had some really good performances and I can’t fault their application,” Pardew said. “It’s just a shame that we can’t send our fans home happy.

“It was good to feel the camaraderie of the dressing room and they were very focused before the game. We have a lot of experience in there and I’m looking forward to working with them.”

While Palace moved off the bottom, above Swansea and West Ham, West Brom are still without a victory since the second match of the season – a run that now stretches back 13 games. But Pardew saw plenty of reasons to be positive after his first match in charge for almost a year. “I’m buoyed by the commitment that they gave me,” he said. “We sometimes lacked confidence at the right moment but that is something we can improve on.”