Everton started the 2013-14 campaign under new management. Long-serving gaffer, David Moyes, had left the club to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
In search of a replacement, the Toffees entrusted Wigan manager Roberto Martinez to take over the reins. The Spaniard had led the Latics to FA Cup success the previous season, though he accepted Everton’s offer, having also overseen relegation from the Premier League.
In another contrast of fortunes, Martinez made an unbeaten start to the season, despite some poor opening results. Everton drew their first three league games with Norwich, West Brom and Cardiff, two of which ended goalless. However, a 1-0 home win against Chelsea got some sceptics onside, and next up was a trip to West Ham for a five-goal thriller that no Evertonian would forget.
Leighton Baines was now into his seventh season with the club and a huge crowd favourite. The marauding left-back was key to the way the Toffees played, along with Seamus Coleman on the other flank. A set-piece specialist with a wand of a left foot, he had scored seven times the previous season but was yet to open his account for the 2013-14 campaign.
Onto the game. West Ham were also unbeaten after four games, so this was always going to be a tough 90 minutes. The Hammers took the lead on the half-hour mark, thanks to a huge slice of luck in the form of a deflected shot.
The home side held onto that lead until the 62nd minute when Everton were awarded a free-kick around 25 yards out. Baines and Kevin Mirallas both stood over the ball, but it was the Englishman who pulled rank. His powerful, curling effort flew into the top left corner of the West Ham goal, and Everton were level.
The hosts were awarded a penalty in the 75th minute, which Mark Noble converted, leaving Moyes's men with it all to do in the final quarter.
Noble then gave away a free kick just outside the Hammers’ penalty area. Ross Barkley, who was brought down for the set-piece for Baines’s first goal of the game, again the man to draw the foul. West Ham were reduced to 10 men as a result.
Baines again stepped up to take responsibility, and showcased the variety to his technique. A dead ball closer to the goal required a more delicate and precise shot. Of course, the Everton legend delivered as he so often did during his long career on Merseyside, sweeping his effort into the opposite corner.
Everton were back on level terms with 8 minutes remaining. Romelu Lukaku had been brought on as a second-half substitute, and while the big Belgian striker stole the headlines with his 84th-minute winning goal, this game will forever be remembered for Baines’s two expert free kicks.
Baines scored 39 goals in 420 appearances for the Toffees, eight of which were from direct free kicks. There was so much more to the left-back's game than his set-pieces, but this performance will go down as one of his most memorable in an Everton shirt.
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