After triumphing over Middlesbrough 3-1 on Saturday night, new Everton manager Ronald Koeman has led his new team to their best start in 38 years.

Given two seasons in a row under Roberto Martinez and in the bottom half of the table, this is sure to have quickly endeared Toffees fans to their new boss.

Blues midfielder Gareth Barry is impressed too. Barry, who made his 600th appearance in the EPL on the weekend, explained that in his final year at Goodison Park, Martinez' standards had slipped, leading to complacency at the club.

“Everything slipped last season. Timekeeping, dress codes, training. The confidence and everything had gone and things were maybe going away from what was expected," Barry said.

“Confidence had gone on the pitch, results weren't going the right way, and there was a lot of unrest with the fans”.

Koeman has put effort into improving a lot around the Merseyside club. He has made shrewd purchases that he is using effectively such as Yannick Bolaise, Idrissa Gueye, Maarten Stekelenburg and Ashley Williams.

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 17: Romelu Lukaku and Yannick Bolasie of Everton celebrate during the Premier League match between Everton and Middlesbrough at Goodison Park on September 17, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Lynne Cameron/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 17: Romelu Lukaku and Yannick Bolasie of Everton celebrate during the Premier League match between Everton and Middlesbrough at Goodison Park on September 17, 2016 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Lynne Cameron/Getty Images)

But it is this return to professionalism, both on and off the field, that is the major reason Koeman's move up the A34 has been such a success so far.

Of course players at a club will look to impress an incoming manager, but Everton's intent so far this season has been impressive, and is translating effectively over to their so far spectacular defensive play.

They have faced the fewest shots on target in the league and have made no errors that have lead to a goal or even a shot on goal.

This determination has seen them claw their way back into and end up winning games against opponents such as West Bromwich and Boro, the former match away from home.

No comeback wins last campaign under Martinez from 14 attempts show just how quickly and significantly the club has changed in that department.

Whilst this is still a small sample size, if the Toffees continue at this rate of improvement and consistency, buoyed by a new, more focused outlook on their football, they're not just a chance to regain the privilege of European football, they could very well make the Champions League.

This would be the second Premier League club that the Dutchman has renovated, after leaving Southampton last year having taken them to their highest finish in history – sixth place.

This all comes after four Erevidisie titles in his homeland with Ajax and PSV Eindhoven, a Copa del Rey with Valencia and stints Feynoord and Benfica.

Rather understandably, pundits such as Charlie Nicholas are beginning to wonder if or when Koeman will get a shot at managing one of the biggest clubs in the world.

After all, it seems a logical transition after success at some of the smaller European clubs.

Nicholas, Sky Sports football expert, has urged Arsenal to target the 53-year-old Dutchman when Arsene Wenger calls it quits.

Again, this seems like a fair enough suggestion. Koeman now certainly knows the Prem well enough to guide the Gunners to success. But for every success story of a manager of his type, there are three or four of failure.

What might reinforce Koeman's case for a bigger and more lucrative job is that he has already spent plenty of time at a big club, achieving international stardom at Barcelona during his playing career.

But he also has management experience at the biggest teams in the world.

Albeit only as an assistant, Koeman spent time with Barca after retiring, as well as the Netherlands national team, under Louis van Gaal and Guus Hiddink respectively.

Whilst playing under a world-class football system is an entirely different thing to being the boss of one, Koeman surely has the years of experience in these systems to succeed where examples of recent memory such as David Moyes failed.

Will he get that chance? Will he want to take it? He has plenty of unfinished business at Everton first, and by the looks of things, he doesn't want to spare a minute finishing it.