Everton’s work in avoiding the drop this season has been nothing short of miraculous.
After all, many clubs would have been forgiven for simply giving up, had they continued to be hamstrung as dramatically as the Toffees were by their own division.
The Premier League was relentless in its efforts to hamper Sean Dyche’s men, yet they would brush aside two separate deductions to remove relegation as a possibility with three games left of the season.
It was clear against Luton Town that the visitors were playing with far less pressure on their shoulders, and that translated into a much more confident side despite only grinding out a 1-1 draw at Kenilworth Road.
One of the players to benefit most from the club’s recent return to form is Ashley Young, who has since sought to translate that positivity into the studio as a pundit for Sky Sports.
Ashley Young praises this current Everton squad
Chatting with Dave Jones and Jamie Carragher, live on last night’s Monday Night Football, Young was supremely complimentary of Everton and all his teammates.
He spoke well of the club with which he has only briefly been a part, and despite having been somewhat vilified during the first few months of his time at Goodison Park, the 38-year-old has worked admirably to correct that narrative in recent weeks.
Now, after a slew of fine performances and some humorous off-pitch antics, his presence on Sky Sports was accepted and even welcomed.
Especially when he was asked about this current crop of players at Goodison Park, having previously been vocal in his excitement regarding the Bramley-Moore Dock stadium.
However, he would then make a claim about the current Everton squad, suggesting it boasts something that he has never seen before across his illustrious career.
Not with Manchester United, Inter Milan, or Aston Villa.
Young noted: ‘I’ve never been in a dressing room where, not just the dressing room but the staff, everybody, the way in which the manager has got the club together is fantastic to see and fantastic to be a part of.’
Will Ashley Young leave Everton this season?
Despite his resurgence late on in the campaign, it is still worth noting that Young’s contract is due to expire this summer.
He is one of many who could be set to depart Goodison Park, with Andre Gomes, Idrissa Gana Gueye, Dele Alli and Seamus Coleman the others.
Then, when considering that Jack Harrison and Arnaut Danjuma will likely return to their parent clubs too, it is clear that Dyche will have a mini rebuild on his hands in the coming months.
Therefore, it is expected that Young might be one of the few offered a new one-year deal, given his immense versatility.
Even if he struggled early on during the 2023/24 campaign, his return to form at the vital moment proves that he is worth a place in the squad as a backup option for a number of roles.
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