Goals from Leon Osman and Victor Anichebe propelled Everton to victory in the first game of the new season against Wigan Athletic on Saturday.

Wigan were unlucky not to have got something from the game after the players put out a determined effort in Chris Hutchings first game as manager of the club following the resignation of Paul Jewell at the end of last season.

With just three players brought in the summer, David Moyes has managed to keep together the nucleus of the team in spite of repeated interest in Tim Cahill and Mikel Arteta from other European clubs. Leighton Baines made his full debut for Everton while Steven Pienaar and Phil Jagielka were on the bench. Meanwhile Jason Koumas, Titus Bramble and Mario Melchiot were given league debuts for Wigan while Antoine Sibierski was on the bench.

Everton took the lead in the 26th minute thanks to a defensive blunder from Titus Bramble. Tony Hibbert latched on to the ball after it bounced over Bramble and sent in a cross from the right, which was met by Osman and the ball looped over Kirkland and into the goal. Everton had a penalty appeal denied just minutes later when referee Mark Clattenburg decided that Bramble had touched the ball in his tackle on Arteta.

Wigan looked to come back into the game, with chances to Caleb Folan and Emile Heskey going wide. A scramble in the early minutes of the second half could have doubled the lead for Everton but Osman's effort was scrambled away by the defenders.

Hutchings replaced Folan for Sibierski in the 66th minute as Wigan stepped up efforts to find the equalizer. However it was Everton who got the second goal in the 74th minute when Andy Johnson did well to cross the ball into the path of Anichebe who side footed the ball into the net in spite of some last second effort by Bramble to save the ball on the line.

Wigan got one back in the 80th minute when Scharner latched on to Heskey's flick and cross the ball towards the far post which was met by Sibierski and headed into the goal. Wigan could have equalized in the dying minutes of the match through Scharner but keeper Tim Howard made a spectacular save to deny the 27-year old.

Everton next face Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday while Wigan welcome Middlesbrough on Wednesday. Watch live football with all the Premiership action here on free-football.tv.