Angry Ince in plot claim

Everton 2 Blackburn 3

The new Blackburn boss witnessed his side’s 3-2 win at Everton on the opening day of the season on Saturday which helped dispel claims that there was unrest in the Rovers camp.

Ince has had to contend with continued pressure to sell his best players while claims of a split in the dressing room since his arrival surfaced just days before his first top flight campaign as a manager.

Ince said: “People have been trying to upset what we are trying to achieve at Blackburn, even before my first season as a manager in the top flight had even started.

“There seemed to be an attempt to unsettle myself, the players and the staff. We have a good bunch of lads and we have stayed strong, people could see that against Everton.

“Do I know the source of what was said? No, I don’t, but it was wrong and it was out of order.”

Blackburn went ahead early on through a David Dunn cracker, but Everton were level in first-half injury-time thanks to a stunning Mikel Arteta free-kick.

Ayegbeni Yakubu put Everton ahead in the second period before late goals from Roque Santa Cruz and Andre Ooijer — in injury-time — gave Ince his debut victory as a top flight boss.

EVERTON: Howard, Neville, Yobo, Lescott, Nuno Valente (Baxter 78), Arteta, Rodwell, Jagielka, Baines, Osman, Yakubu.

BLACKBURN: Robinson, Ooijer, Samba, Nelsen, Warnock, Reid, Dunn (Kerimoglu 90), Mokoena, Pedersen (Treacy 76), Roque Santa Cruz, Roberts (McCarthy 83).

Att: 38,675

Referee: Andre Marriner.