Summary Everton have a new star in Beto but the summer signing needs some support from his teammates. He could surpass Calvert-Lewin's exploits if Sean Dyche unleashes the club's £25k-p/w creator. The player scored seven times last season and created three assists.
Everton have endured a rough start to their Premier League campaign, having essentially sacrificed their opening few fixtures due to a lack of speed in the market, feeding into an absence of clinical finishing.
However, the solution has seemingly since arrived, with huge expectations now resting on the shoulders of one man; new signing Beto.
How good is Beto?
Having signed for a fee that could rise to £30m, the acquisition of a tall, powerful, pacey forward like Beto was integral for Sean Dyche to provide some much-needed reliability to a role that has seen so little whilst people have rested their hopes on Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The former Sheffield United forward has been a solid asset for the Toffees during his seven years at Goodison Park, growing into a fine striker for this level before injuries took over. He has since made just 30 starts across the two full seasons since he scored 21 and assisted five across all competitions, meaning a replacement was needed.
In the Portuguese finisher, they hope to have their solution, with glimpses of his quality having been emphasised in their recent win over Doncaster Rovers, and draw with Sheffield United.
Fractured Cheekbone
18 days
Hamstring Injury
89 days
Hamstring Injury
32 days
Knee Injury
46 days
Fractured Toe
125 days
All stats via Transfermarkt
Scoring in the former, his performance in the latter also drew praise, with Liverpool World offering the following summation after what they deemed to be a 7/10 display: "Really caught the eye in the opening 45 minutes, using his physicality and running the channels while his blocked shot yielded the corner for the opener. Then played his part in Danjuma’s equaliser with a lay-off for Patterson. A superb Premier League debut especially given he only arrived earlier this week."
Sofascore helped to emphasise this, handing him a 7.5 rating and showcasing his starring assets. Attempting four shots and earning success in six of the nine dribbles he attempted, the 25-year-old was a constant thorn in the Blades as he used his sizable frame to wreak havoc. However, his deft touch also allowed him to muster one key pass and forge one big chance, whilst he also won an impressive 11 duels.
He battled well and created for others, but had little service of his own. Fortunately, he could soon have the perfect partner to help him recapture his goalscoring touch and potentially surpass Calvert-Lewin. That man is Dwight McNeil.
When will Dwight McNeil be fully fit?
Dyche's unconvincing start to the term has to be profiled alongside the numerous casualties he has suffered already, with Dwight McNeil a key absentee.
The former Burnley winger scored seven and assisted three last season in the league, as the club's top scorer in a year where they narrowly avoided the drop. Writer Dominic King even lauded the £25k-per-week ace as "outstanding" after one stellar showing.
However, a 15-minute cameo in that aforementioned game offers hope that he will soon return to full fitness, given he was reportedly subject to a late call by the manager before the clash.
The 23-year-old steadily grew into one of the club's most important players last campaign, with his creativity often wasted due to a lack of focal point up top. He averaged 1.4 key passes per game, alongside his 1.4 accurate crosses per game too, via Sofascore.
Should he now trade the 5 foot 8 Neal Maupay for the 6 foot 4 Beto, it could mark the start of a perfect partnership that could terrorise the rest of the division. Especially given the latter forward scored ten Serie A goals in his final year, winning 53% of his aerial duels all season in the Italian top flight.
Desperately craving their first win, it seems that given his fine start to life at his new club, the former Udinese man will be an integral figure in achieving that and hopefully many more. Simply by staying fit will he have the foundation to surpass Calvert-Lewin, especially with McNeil back soon and providing for him.
