West Ham were hardly the most glamorous club to visit Goodison as the Toffees celebrated a milestone of 2,000 home games in the top flight.
David Moyes would not have been too concerned who his resurgent Everton side faced as long as the result was fitting of the occasion.
Moyes kept faith with the side that earned a deserved draw at Old Trafford on Sunday, meaning a fit again Mikel Arteta had to make do with a place on the bench.
For the Hammers, Carl Fletcher came in to the side and young James Collins was handed his first Premiership start.
The game began in subdued fashion with only Bobby Zamora looking lively.
The atmosphere in the ground didn't help with Toffees fans seemingly not interested in the club milestone.
James Beattie came close on eight minutes as a great ball from Leon Osman flew into the box straight past his outstretched body.
A minute later, though, a tenacious run by man of the moment James McFadden put the Blues 1-0 up.
The young Scot chipped the ball gloriously on to Beattie's left foot to lift over a diving Roy Carroll much to the delight of the home crowd.
The Toffees nearly doubled the lead 60 seconds later but Beattie fired well over.
The McFadden and Beattie partnership was starting to look better than most fans dared hope but unfortunately it was short lived as McFadden injured his foot and while receiving treatment, David Weir scored a comical own goal to level the match.
Tomas Repka hit a grass splitter into Richard Wright's box which evaded everything but the unlucky defender's boot and the ball sailed over the keeper's head and into the net.
Marcus Bent replaced McFadden and Beattie then had an opportunity as he turned beautifully on a Kevin Kilbane pass but fired into Carroll's hands from 20 yards.
West Ham couldn't make a sustained assault on the Everton goal though the lively Yossi Benayoun covered much of the pitch.
Everton came close on a couple of occasions before half-time as they finished the stronger of the two sides.
West Ham started the second half brightly and Tony Hibbert was yellow carded for bringing down Matthew Etherington as the midfielder glided past.
Harewood nearly put the Hammers in front with Wright beaten but his header flew past the keeper's post.
Everton were looking increasingly nervous and bereft of attacking ideas as the crowd began voicing their displeasure.
Arteta replaced Hibbert on 61 minutes as Moyes tried to inject some life into his stuttering side.
Zamora put West Ham in front on 67 minutes after some more comedy defending by Everton.
Moyes would not have been laughing though as Weir was dispossessed by Harewood who played the ball into the area and as the Blues failed to clear their lines, Benayoun fired in only to see his shot come out as far as Zamora who coolly slotted home his third goal in three games.
Duncan Ferguson replaced Kilbane on 68 minutes as Everton tried to salvage something from a turgid second half.
Ferguson almost obliged but headed Beattie's inviting cross straight at Carroll.
Arteta fired wide after good work by Phil Neville and then hit the side-netting under pressure from Repka and Hayden Mullins.
Osman's wild challenge on Fletcher earned him a yellow card as the clock ticked down and Everton looked increasingly desperate.
Simon Davies should have done much better from Arteta's cross as Hammers new boy Collins lay injured in the area but his header flew miles wide.
Christian Dailly and Shaun Newton replaced Etherington and Zamora as Alan Pardew shut up shop with the points in the bag after an impressive second-half display from the Hammers.