Everton 0, Portsmouth 3: Read the report and pick your man of the match

Goodison was an unhappy arena at 10 to five, with boos ringing around the ground and the stage set for a potentially stormy EGM on Wednesday night.

Despite the flurry of transfer activity at the end of last week, Everton kicked off with a team of familiar faces.

There was a first start since January for James Vaughan, but Danish full-back Lars Jacobsen was left on the substitutes' bench, Ecuador midfielder Segundo Castillo awaiting international clearance, Victor Obinna the subject of a work permit appeal and Louis Saha undergoing a medical.

And it was another familiar face on Merseyside who was responsible for Portsmouth's opening goal.

Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch headed a throw-in onto strike partner Jermain Defoe, who held, twisted, turned and then finally drilled a low shot past Howard.

It was impressive forward play by the Pompey striker, but equally Joleon Lescott will have been disappointed to have let the little forward get his shot in.

The game's turning point came just 10 minutes later.

Mikel Arteta thought he had equalised when he side-footed Yakubu's excellent cross goalwards from just 10 yards, but David James stretched his full six feet five inch frame to touch the ball against the inside of the post and then leapt to smother the rebound just ahead of Arteta's follow-up.

The Blues were desperately unlucky again in the 31st minute. Baines produced a deep, searching cross which Vaughan bravely headed back across the goal-line. But before Yakubu could stoop to steer the ball over the line, Kaboul acrobatically hooked the ball clear.

They were significant moments, because six minutes before half-time Portsmouth struck again.

This time the visitors cut through Everton's defence superbly, switching passes slickly and swiftly before Defoe rolled a pass into Johnson's path to race into the penalty area and flick the ball firmly with the outside of his left foot past Howard.

Everton had a wonderful opportunity to drag themselves back into the game just seconds after the restart of the second half.

Goalscorer Johnson unnecessarily barged Vaughan and referee Mark Halsey pointed immediately to the penalty spot.

Yakubu, the man who scored Everton's only Premier League penalty on the last day of last season, stepped forward again, but his strike lacked conviction and direction and James sprang to his right to save.

Vaughan had chased tirelessly all afternoon but he was a spent force by the hour mark and replaced by Victor Anichebe, back from his silver medal winning display at the Olympics.

But any hope of an Everton celebration was extinguished in the 68th minute when Portsmouth broke with pace and penetration again.

Davis swapped passes with Defoe on the edge of the penalty area and Defoe spotted Howard straying a yard off his line and lofted an exquisite chip over his head. The ball struck the crossbar and bounced down over the line, before Crouch made absolutely sure by burying the rebound.

He celebrated, but there was no doubt the credit and the goal belonged to Defoe.

Jose Baxter was introduced as Everton's chase looked increasingly forlorn, but even with the game won James continued to deny the Blues, tipping Yakubu's goalbound volley around the post.

EVERTON (4-4-2): Howard, Neville, Yobo, Lescott, Baines, Arteta, Jagielka, Rodwell, Osman (Baxter 70), Vaughan (Anichebe 57), Yakubu. Unused substitutes: Turner, Jacobsen, Valente, Kissock, Wallace.

PORTSMOUTH (3-5-2): James; Distin, Campbell, Kaboul; Johnson, Diop, Davis, Diarra, Armand Traore (Hreidarsson 75); Crouch, Defoe (Utaka 75). Unused substitutes: Ashdown, Lauren, Mvuemba, Sahar, Djimi Traore.

Referee: Mark Halsey.