Dominic Calvert-Lewin has been a key man for Everton ever since he emerged into the first-team under Ronald Koeman, even if his positions have varied from central midfield and left-back to his more natural striker role.
As such, his persisting injury woes throughout the last two years have been especially damaging for the Toffees, who understandably became reliant on the exploits of the former Sheffield United man.
With just 30 starts across two full years of Premier League football, from 2021 to 2023, and a further seven goals, it makes for a miserable reading for Evertonians.
However, with five starts on the spin, it seems the 26-year-old has put those ailments behind him at last, with his finish yesterday his fourth of the season across all competitions.
Not only that, but it was a strike that saw him take his league tally for the club up to 50, creeping up on Tim Cahill, Duncan Ferguson and Romelu Lukaku.
In his post-match interview, when chatting to Sky Sports, he would actually detail his ambition to surpass those heroic figures: ‘One of the lads said to me on the coach, on the way to the game, that I was one [goal] off 50, so a great milestone. I’m in good company at the football club and I’m aiming to take the other three out!’
Who is Everton’s all-time top scorer?
When it comes to the club’s all-time top scorer, there is little chance that the £100k-per-week ace will come close to that tally. After all, Dixie Dean’s legendary figure of 383 is an impossibly high one, forever etched into the history books.
However, when it comes to their all-time top scorer in the Premier League, that becomes a far more attainable goal for Calvert-Lewin.
His 50 strikes put him just six behind the aforementioned Australian, and he will have 38 games to do so in the same amount of games.
Then, sat on a round 60 is Ferguson, who remains a revered figure around Goodison Park not just for his on-pitch exploits, but his work in the dugout too.
The man to beat however remains Romelu Lukaku, whose 68 strikes in 141 appearances remains unparalleled. In fact, only Brian McBridge in the Premier League era can beat his 0.48 goals per match, with the American only playing eight matches, via Transfermarkt.
To see someone nurtured through the club become Everton‘s Premier League top scorer would mark a proud moment for the club, and one that seems a certainty should he maintain his current form and fitness.
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