Before Monday night’s loss to Chelsea, Richarlison had scored in Everton’s last four games.
Three of those games were won and two of those were by the odd goal, making Richarlison the match-winner.
It was Richarlison’s best spell of goalscoring form in an Everton shirt and we asked Nigel Martyn about his recent hot form during an exclusive interview.
He said that he’s spotted Richarlison coming inside more often – especially when Dominic Calvert-Lewin was out of the team injured.
“He’s been more central. I think having Calvert-Lewin out of the team for a little bit allowed him to stake his claim to be down the middle a bit more.
“When you look at the goals he’s scored, he’s in the middle of the box. He’s realised he’s going to get more out of things if he’s around the width of the six yard box as much as possible.
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“I think the way they set up with three at the back, with the extra midfielder allows him to drift inside from a wider position. He wants to be a goal threat and he’s finished well too.
“He’s benefitting from being more central and working with Calvert-Lewin when Everton have got the ball. Watching them play, they do interchange and there are times when Calvert-Lewin is the one dropping into midfield.
Earlier on in the season, it was Calvert-Lewin carrying much of Everton’s goalscoring burden and more recently it’s been Richarlison.
That’s good for Carlo Ancelotti, although he would likely want other forward players to be a bit more reliable in terms of their goal output.
If Richarlison and Calvert-Lewin are on fire at the same time between now and the end of the season, Everton will be hard to stop.
They’re dangerous when Richarlison moves inside and they work as a pair, which is something Ancelotti will be hoping to see more of in the weeks ahead.
Nigel Martyn speaking to Everton News: Archive