Everton might have endured another testing campaign in the Premier League but Sean Dyche has successfully preserved top-flight status with relative ease despite an eight-point deduction.
While things went pear-shaped back in December when an impressive start to the season was sliced following breaches of Premier League profit and Sustainability rules, a businesslike approach to recent fixtures has seen a steady run of form establish an 11-point gap from 18th-placed Luton Town with two matches to go.
The tortuous series of events this season may not have abated just yet, but the Toffees players can take much pride in their commitment and composure on the pitch, never letting the carnivorous chomp of the docked points consume them.
Pre-season, the need for a new talisman was glaring, and while Beto was signed from Udinese for £26m last August, the resurgence of Dominic Calvert-Lewin has proved to be one of the decisive factors over recent months.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin's season in numbers
Beto had been hailed for his "quality" by journalist Josh Bunting before making the move to Merseyside and while he has made his physicality known, a rather uninspiring offensive impact has hardly left fans gushing, with just three Premier League goals all term.
Calvert-Lewin, conversely, has enjoyed a bright season at the front of Dyche's system, scoring seven league goals and matching the tally of the past two campaigns combined, where he started only 15 fixtures each time.
After spending such an interminably long period injured, or away from his best football given the persistent fitness problems, it's excellent to witness Calvert-Lewin approaching his best once again, having scored four goals from his past five matches.
Not just a goalscorer, though, Calvert-Lewin is averaging 0.6 key passes and 6.2 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore, with The Athletic's Patrick Boyland even remarking that he's been "like the DCL of old" in recent efforts.
If he can carry his form into the 2024/25 campaign, Beto might be facing a premature exit, failing to live up to the price tag. Calvert-Lewin will need an offensive partner, however, and academy talent Martin Sherif might just be the perfect homegrown option for Dyche.
Why Everton must unleash Martin Sherif
Hailed for his "composed" finishing by Boyland, Dutch striker Sherif made waves at youth level last season, with the Everton official website describing him as a 'powerful attacker with excellent finishing ability'.
Across 18 starting appearances in the U18 Premier League last season, the 17-year-old bagged 14 goals and added four assists, blending his brawny physicality with a sharp goalscoring instinct.
Moreover, he signed his first professional contract with the club last summer and so is clearly held in high regard by the Everton board, who view his skill set as one built for success at senior level.
This term, the teenager has been in and out of the squad but he has been promoted to the U21s and scored on his sole start, against West Bromwich Albion.
He might have been in and out of competitive action this season but Sherif has been noted for the 'fearsome impression' – according to Rheinische Post – that he made with the U18s at the U19s Champions Trophy – also known as the Easter Tournament – only last month.
He's still so young and looks to have the physical qualities for success at the highest level in the Premier League, and Everton might just hit the jackpot by unleashing this homegrown prodigy alongside Calvert-Lewin next season.
