The last time Everton faced Leicester in their opening game of the season and fielded an expensive new signing up front, it did not work out too badly. Just like the £28m man Romelu Lukaku on Saturday, a certain Gary Lineker failed to score on his debut, having signed for £800,000 from Leicester in the summer of 1985, but he went on to find the net 30 times as Howard Kendall’s side finished as the First Division runners-up.

Roberto Martínez will be hoping for a similar output from Lukaku after he spent last season at Goodison Park on loan from Chelsea and managed 15, although on this evidence it could be a while until he really hits his straps. Belgium’s exertions at the World Cup in Brazil meant the 21-year-old joined pre-season training only 10 days ago having completed his transfer from Stamford Bridge and it showed at the King Power Stadium as Leicester marked their return to the Premier League after a 10-year gap by earning a point thanks to the substitute Chris Wood.

Lukaku was well marshalled by Wes Morgan and barely had a sniff of a chance, with even his diminutive strike partner Steven Naismith outjumping him from a set piece at one point . Yet Martínez is nothing if not aware of how to build team spirit, and was adamant that the club record signing had performed well. He also insisted Lukaku is under no extra pressure given the size of the fee – nearly double Everton’s previous record mark and even more than the amount Manchester United paid for Wayne Rooney in 2004.

“I think it’s the opposite. You saw he was enjoying every ball and he feels really wanted at the club,” Martínez said. “Sometimes when you pay a record fee and it’s a new player at the club there can be a lot of pressure because of the expectation and you don’t know how he’s going to adapt. But he is the opposite. We know Rom inside out, and the supporters know what to expect. He knows how much we appreciate and love him then I think that will take the weight off expectations.”

Despite seeing their own club record signing Leonardo Ulloa equalise Aiden McGeady’s brilliant opener, Leicester’s chances this season will largely rest on the ability of several players who have never played in the Premier League adapting to the higher level. The captain Morgan and his central defensive partner Liam Moore illustrated that the leap from the Championship is not necessarily the chasm it once was as they shackled Lukaku effectively, although Everton’s lack of urgency after Naismith had given them the lead at the end of the first half played right into Leicester’s hands.

“I understand he [Lukaku] has not had much match practice but it was a tough battle and I enjoyed it,” Morgan said. “I felt like I gave as good as I got and I hope he felt the same. He didn’t score a goal so that is good enough for me. We were one of the new boys coming up and not many of our squad have played in the Premier League or featured much. We just want to show how good we are. We have to believe in ourselves and we can take confidence from this game.”

Martínez admitted that the knee injury sustained by Ross Barkley in training last week had forced his hand regarding Lukaku, with the back-up striker Arouna Koné still battling back from missing most of last season. A strong-looking bench, which included Everton’s reigning player of the year, right-back Seamus Coleman – also recovering from injury – as well as the new signings Muhamed Besic and Christian Atsu, should ensure the absence of Barkley is easier to cope with.

However, with next month’s run of league fixtures culminating in the first Merseyside derby of the season and the start of the Europa League group stages also to contend with, Martínez will be praying his doomsday assessment that the 20-year-old England midfielder could be out for up to five months is way over the mark. “We’re expecting the next set of scans on Wednesday or Thursday just to make sure the inflammation is not in the knee and then we’ll know exactly where he is,” he said.

“A medial ligament injury can go from six weeks to a longer period but in any case it’s not an injury that should rule him out for the season. Injuries and suspensions are something that is part of the game. I don’t see that as a major problem or disadvantage. It’s important that we get Ross back as quickly as we can because September is going to be a very busy month and without Ross it’s going to put more pressure and strains on the squad.”

Man of the match Wes Morgan (Leicester)