Amadou Onana highlights ‘main difference’ for Everton compared to last season

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Amadou Onana has shared what he believes is the ‘main difference’ between the current season and his first campaign with Everton.

Speaking to The Athletic, the midfielder admitted that the mindset and atmosphere at Finch Farm is ‘much healthier’.

Amadou Onana was thrown in at the deep end when he arrived on Merseyside last summer, making 33 appearances with very few rests due to the lack of squad depth.

The Belgian was forced into a fierce relegation battle with the Toffees, winning only three games prior to Sean Dyche‘s arrival in January.

Everton were taken all the way to the final day before a goal from Abdoulaye Doucoure against Bournemouth confirmed their place in the Premier League for another year.

While the club have been handed a 10-point deduction, Everton have enjoyed some brilliant form in recent months and look to have drastically improved from previous seasons.

Speaking on the changes since last season, Onana said: “Things were going pretty well before we got hit with the points deduction — way better than last season.

“The mindset and the atmosphere around the team is much healthier. That’s also because of the results, which are the best since I came in. We’re building every single week. We’ve got loads of new signings and competition between players, which keeps everyone on their toes. It’s very healthy. That’s the main difference between this season and the last.

“Everyone at the club feels a sense of injustice, but our focus hasn’t changed — which is to keep improving on the pitch and to continue producing more consistent performances.”

Can Everton’s fresh look keep them safe?

The change in atmosphere at Everton has become glaringly obvious.

Previously it looked like many of the players just weren’t bothered – the football was terrible and slow, Sean Dyche was out of ideas and the owners certainly weren’t helping either.

But at some point things began to change this season and the Toffees have finally looked like an actual Premier League team, which hasn’t been the case for a while.

While it is all down to points on the board at the end of the day, it is this fresh attitude that Everton have adopted that will guide them to safety before the end of the season.

A team playing like the Toffees have surely can’t fall short of the likes of Sheffield United, Burnley and Luton Town.