Can we talk about Dewsbury-Hall? At £25m, he is proving to be an absolute bargain and is quickly becoming one of the star signings of this Premier League season.
With three goals and an assist in his past five games, it is hard to believe Everton were one of very few suitors in the summer.
His versatility in the six, eight and 10 roles, particularly in central and defensive midfield has been a lifeline for David Moyes who is low on squad options in the absence of Merlin Rohl and recently Idrissa Gueye.
Crafting the opening goal and scoring the third, Dewsbury-Hall drove the heart of Everton’s midfield against Nottingham Forest, who offered very little against a spirited Everton with Dewsbury-Hall the finest player on show.
After switching the teams round on the coin toss, it was a nightmare for a Sean Dyche team to concede so early in the game and Dewsbury-Hall was more than willing to exploit the space that opened for him thereafter.
His finesse, style and assurance contrasts greatly to his predecessors at the club. Though smaller in stature, his technical ability provides the opportunity to dictate the play more and build pressure – exactly what Everton fans want to see. He has settled into Merseyside beautifully.
He offers the type of sustained attacking dimension Everton have lacked for several seasons. Though successful sometimes, it was never consistent.
Dewsbury-Hall is bucking that trend, building attacks and driving forward transitions. With his stamina and intensity proving fruitful, Everton are now into one of the coveted European spots, finally looking up the table rather than down it.
In the spirit of the festive season – oh come let us adore him, Dewsbury-Hall.
Last week, we looked at Dewsbury-Hall’s numbers so take a read here
