Everton have a few key figures to thank for their resurgence, but none more so than the manager.
Sean Dyche came in and instantly got the club, understanding where they were at, the outstanding problems that plagued them, and forging a solution to lead them into a brighter future.
Already his vision seems to be coming true, with a recent run of form extending a five-point gap between themselves and the relegation zone.
And whilst many will rush to praise the 52-year-old, the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure have been equally as important in engineering their turnaround, with some even suggesting he typifies everything good about this new era being ushered in at Goodison Park.
That is at least the thought process of The Athletic’s Paddy Boyland, who penned a piece dedicated to the Mali international who has recently pledged his allegiance to his club over country.
The journalist claimed: ‘As recently as the summer, the former Watford midfielder was facing up to the possibility that this could be his last season at Goodison Park. But under Dyche he has been a key cog; a player reborn.’
He then outlines the starring attributes which have made the 30-year-old so effective: ‘More than perhaps any other player, Doucoure has become the symbol of Dyche’s Everton.
‘Of all that is good about their play, but also of some of their limitations. He is a willing worker and keeps making important interventions in the final third, including the goal that kept them up against Bournemouth on the final day of last season.’
How good is Abdoulaye Doucoure?
To understand how good Doucoure is now, it is worth seeing where he came from to become such an integral figure.
After all, it was not easy for the former Watford man to acclimatise following his £20m move, with great expectations as a goalscoring midfielder.
Coming off the back of a fine campaign with the Hornets, having announced himself as a consistent offensive threat in the Premier League, his debut return of just two goals somewhat disappointed fans.
However, since Dyche’s appointment, those figures have started to return to the 11-goal contribution seasons of old, having notched five key strikes last term and already hit three this year in the league.
It is poised to be a standout campaign for the midfielder, who even saw his fine form rewarded with a new deal.
The £120k-per-week dynamo had certainly earned it, with Boyland merely voicing what many fans have been feeling for a long time.
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