It is these kind of frail and lukewarm performances that make it nigh on impossible to take Everton’s top-six aspirations seriously.

Marco Silva overhauled his squad to the tune of more than £115m this summer, undoubtedly bolstering his attacking riches but his side’s defending here left a lot to be desired as Callum Wilson started and completed the scoring to earn Bournemouth a second win of the season. Ryan Fraser stepped off the bench to help the hosts regain the lead after Dominic Calvert‑Lewin’s equaliser, his first Premier League goal for 971 minutes, before Wilson seized on lax defending to seal victory. A passive Everton side flattered to deceive and a Bournemouth team brimming with vim duly punished them.

The manner of the goals was particularly difficult for Silva to stomach, with Everton coming unstuck from two unspectacular set pieces before a simple ball over the top once more exposed the visitors’ soft centre.

Bournemouth’s third goal was damning evidence of a brittle Everton display and arguably the worst of the lot from their perspective as Diego Rico cushioned a pass over the top of an absent defence and Wilson, having comfortably eluded Michael Keane, who endured a difficult afternoon, raced through to steer it beyond Jordan Pickford. It was Bournemouth’s first goal that grated on Silva, though, livid at how Dominic Solanke, Joshua King and, finally, Wilson were able to beat his players to the ball from Rico’s corner.

“Cheap goals, unfortunately for us, in the last few games, it is not the first time,” Silva said. “We have to become again that solid team that we were at the second part of last season and the beginning of the season. We had 13 games with 10 clean sheets [between February and August] – that means we were a solid team.

“It is a big frustration because we were prepared for that move from the front post for the first goal. But even if they won that move at the front post, after they cannot win the second ball and the third ball. They scored inside our box after a corner the third time they touched the ball and that means we were not active and reacting like we should do. It was a lack of focus and aggressiveness because we were prepared for that [routine].

“We had those types of moments last season and we looked solid again but we have to work more and more to stop them happening. To be honest we didn’t deserve something more when we made mistakes like we made. We conceded three goals so easily.”

For Bournemouth, a first win on home soil this season was hugely encouraging for a side with an average age of 24 years and 195 days, the youngest XI Eddie Howe has named in the Premier League. Aaron Ramsdale again impressed in goal, Jack Stacey grew into his full league debut at right-back having been asked to tame Richarlison, who did rattle the woodwork early on, while Lewis Cook was magnificent on his return following nine months out with a cruciate ligament injury, earning a standing ovation on being withdrawn late on. Elsewhere, Wilson’s work ethic was relentless.

But it was the selfless King, shining on the left wing, who often proved the catalyst and it was his explosive run that led to Fraser finding the net. Richarlison hauled down King and, from the resulting free-kick, Fabian Delph’s lunging left leg helped Fraser’s strike trickle beyond Pickford. “Josh is physically so strong, so quick – I wouldn’t want to play against him whether I was a full-back or centre-half,” Howe, the Bournemouth manager, said.

Lucas Digne kept Stacey busy, powering down the Everton left, but too many players did not perform. For a 6ft 4in centre-back, Yerry Mina failed to impose himself, while his defensive partner Keane had a day to forget, thumping the ball against the advertising hoardings in frustration.

Richarlison stabbed wide nine minutes from time, by which point Bournemouth had already put the game to bed. Everton’s defence was all at sea when Wilson latched on to Rico’s through ball before steering a shot beyond Pickford. “I think it gives us a sign of what we can be,” Howe said. “I think this season we are going to get stronger when we get more players back from injury. This win gives the strength of the group a real confidence.”

Bournemouth 3-1 Everton: Premier League – live! Read more