Allardyce hails Everton grit after first win

Sam Allardyce lauded his new side's determination to win after his Everton reign started with a 2-0 victory over Huddersfield Town at Goodison Park on Saturday.

The former England manager was officially appointed as Ronald Koeman's permanent successor on Thursday and, although Everton failed to produce a performance to match Wednesday's 4-0 hammering of West Ham, they at least managed to secure back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time this season.

Gylfi Sigurdsson and Dominic Calvert-Lewin scored second-half goals to seal a triumph that Allardyce hopes can be the foundation for a surge up the Premier League table.

"It was nice to see this stadium, looking around and seeing it full with the welcome," he told BBC Sport.

"Then it was about the players delivering a performance and result today.

"The effort from the players in the second half, they really wanted to win it after finding it difficult in the first half, maybe with a bit of fatigue.

"Our third clean sheet of the season, that's two on the trot and ironically we have two wins from it.

"It could have been better for entertainment, more passing and moving but we can build on that as we go on.

"I've learned the squad can dig in and be resilient already.

"They know they let too many goals in before I got here and that has to stop. We can build on the attacking play more once we have established that solid defensive unit."

Allardyce knows which positions he wants to strengthen in the January transfer window, but would not be drawn on the individuals he would like to fill them - instead choosing to highlight his desire to welcome Ross Barkley back into the first-team fold. 

He added: "I know the positions we need. I don't know the players we will get yet.

"I would like to focus on the players who are injured and get them fit as quickly as possible. Ross Barkley back in the squad, that will make a difference to our quality, particularly in possession."