Everton boss Roberto Martinez has warned his players ahead of this weekends clash with Cardiff.
Martinez believes the promoted side’s campaign could now be founded on that dramatic triumph.
“100%,” he says. “When you get promoted you go into the unknown and the unknown can sometimes affect you.
“It can affect your confidence, it can affect your know how in terms of how you get a result and the longer it takes for you to get that first win the more damaging it can become.
“What Cardiff have done now is make themselves feel ready. They deserve to be in the Premier League and they’ve already beaten one of the favourites so you can imagine that all of the issues that can be really negative against a newly promoted side have gone out of the window.
“That is why it was a really massive result for them.
“Not just in the manner that they got it or who it was against, it is just about getting that first win.
“You can imagine the feeling around Cardiff now is really positive and those feelings affect the performance of the team.”
Two of Cardiff’s three goals came from Frazier Campbell capitalising on poor marking from a set-piece, and Martinez adds: “Dead ball situations are a big, big part of the game in any league in the world. In the Premier League there is probably that extra spice because there are teams that take advantage of it really, really well.
“It’s a big part of the game and I think we need to be able to cope with that, even though Cardiff are one of the strongest sides from set pieces.”
Martinez knows all about the passion of the Cardiff support, having spent three years as a player and then his first two in management at bitter South Wales rivals Swansea.
That spell at the Liberty Stadium marks him out for attention from the home supporters when Everton aim for their first Premier League win under the Spaniard this afternoon.
And the 40-year-old is not convinced it will be friendly.
“I had a really good time in south Wales,” says Martinez. “I will get a welcome – I’m just not sure what it will be.”
That Martinez has an unbeaten record against Cardiff, drawing two and winning the other fixture he was involved in between the pair, should at least allow him to travel with confidence.
“I’m not sure it’s the wisest thing to talk about records like that before a match,” he adds. “I always found the derby matches to be really special occasions.
“I have great memories from my time down there but, as I say, we will have to be on our guard because after deservedly beating Manchester City last weekend, they will be looking for another good performance.”
Martinez recorded his first competitive victory as Everton manager in midweek with the dramatic 2-1 Capital One Cup triumph over League One side Stevenage at Goodison.
Everton had followed their opening-day 2-2 draw at Norwich City with a frustrating home stalemate against West Bromwich Albion last Saturday.
Gerard Deulofeu, the on-loan Barcelona winger who starred on his debut on Wednesday evening, may have to be content with a place on the bench today with Kevin Mirallas and Steven Pienaar expected to return to the starting line-up.
With Darron Gibson again unlikely be available as he recovers from a knee complaint, Ross Barkley will look to continue an excellent start the season that earned him a first-ever England call-up in midweek.