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Five things we’ve learned about Everton in 2020/21 so far

By Chris Smith

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 13: Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton celebrates with Andre Gomes, Richarlison and Yerry Mina of Everton after scoring his team's first goal the during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 13, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 13: Dominic Calvert-Lewin of Everton celebrates with Andre Gomes, Richarlison and Yerry Mina of Everton after scoring his team's first goal the during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Everton at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on September 13, 2020 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images) /
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Everton’s English midfielder Tom Davies during the English League Cup second round football match between Everton and Salford City at Goodison Park in Liverpool, north west England on September 16, 2020. (Photo by PETER POWELL / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or ‘live’ services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by PETER POWELL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

The likes of Tom Davies, Alex Iwobi and Bernard have performed well when called upon, providing squad depth and healthy competition.

3. Healthy competition

One of the main worries among Evertonians heading into this campaign was how things would go when Ancelotti either rested some of his star names, or had to take them out of the line-up due to injury or suspension. After all, the likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson, Tom Davies and Alex Iwobi hardly covered themselves in glory during 2019/20.

However, so far, it seems like the addition of some genuine top-class talents has sent a message to the rest of the squad, with everyone now keen to fight for their place and get in on the action.

Granted, the Toffees have only faced one top-flight club during their EFL Cup run so far, but that competition has offered the chance for Bernard to strut his stuff through the middle, weighing in with a goal and an assist during a 5-2 win over Fleetwood, while Iwobi matched those figures in that game before providing another assist during a positive 65-minute performance against Brighton in the Premier League having replaced the injured Richarlison.

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During that same match against the Seagulls, Davies put in what was arguably his best performance in a blue shirt over the past couple of years, sitting in for Allan — absent with a muscle injury — and offering the same solidity as the Brazilian, quickly progressing the ball forward and even filling in at right-back toward the end of the game.

All of this, and we haven’t even mentioned the emergence of 19-year-old Niels Nkounkou, who has flourished in the EFL Cup with three superb performances and one assist already — it would appear Everton never lacked depth at left-back at all.

The better those in front of them perform, the more Everton’s ‘back-up brigade’ will have to prove, and this will only result in good headaches for Ancelotti.

Or, as Iwobi comically put it after the win over Fleetwood:

"Everyone wants to play so, hopefully, I can give the manager a migraine and get involved as much as I can."

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