Prince Rupert's Tower
Fansided

Dyche declares Calvert-Lewin is ready to return for Everton.. soon

By Matt Townsend

NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - MARCH 05: Sean Dyche the manager / head coach of Everton during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Everton FC at City Ground on March 5, 2023 in Nottingham, United Kingdom. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images)
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - MARCH 05: Sean Dyche the manager / head coach of Everton during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Everton FC at City Ground on March 5, 2023 in Nottingham, United Kingdom. (Photo by James Williamson - AMA/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Sean Dyche has been giving Everton supporters a further update on Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s fitness and says the striker, finally, is almost ready to return to the team.

The Toffees’ secured a massive win yesterday as they beat Brentford 1-0 at Goodison Park in what was in the end, a nervy but ultimately very satisfying result.

However, despite Everton gaining another home victory through Dwight McNeil’s sweet first minute strike, there were good chances to add to it in the first half, which again were wasted.

The lack of quality options and goals up front has of course been a huge problem, and could still ultimately prove very costly for the Blues’ this season.

Yesterday, Dyche had Ellis Simms and Neal Maupay on the bench. That isn’t much choice for the manager and the poverty of his options has really impacted his approach to setting this team up.

Both Simms and Maupay have been tried in recent games and neither have convinced Dyche they are the answer. He desperately needs Calvert-Lewin back as soon as possible.

And, while Demarai Gray again played decently up top on his own against the Bees’, he isn’t a long-term solution either.

The manager has decided to give DCL as much time as he needs to get fully fit and even to take his own views into account when making the decision to put him back in the side.

He has also been talking regularly about what progress his former England centre-forward is making recovering from his latest injury problems.

Now, Dyche believes the 25-year-old is almost ready for a long-awaited return to the team. Will that be Everton’s next game away at Chelsea? Probably not.

But, after that match there is a break for some internationals and that will hopefully give him all the time he needs to be fully ready for a long overdue return to the side as the season draws towards it’s conclusion.

Dyche has established a formation and tactics that do appear to be working, at least at Goodison Park anyway.

If he can finally get Calvert-Lewin fit and healthy for the rest of the campaign, then Everton might be able to get enough points on the board to achieve safety.

And, let’s hope it means avoiding having to win their final game of the season against Bournemouth at home on the last day of the season.