Everton have struggled to find consistency so far this season but there is plenty of room for optimism, with signs of progress being shown under Marco Silva.
The Toffees will now be looking to take advantage of a winnable run of fixtures at Goodison Park against Brighton, Cardiff City and Newcastle, as well as hopefully taking points in their travels to face Liverpool and Chelsea.
One positive boost from the past few weeks, despite the recent defeat to Manchester United, has been Andre Gomes’ return to fitness and impressive performances at the start of his loan stint from Barcelona.
The Portugal international completed 90 minutes for the first time this season at Old Trafford and is settling in nicely to the heart of midfield, which will prove to be crucial over the course of the coming weeks.
Valued at just £13.5m by TransferMarkt, Silva must keep a close eye on the 25-year-old between now and January before trying to force through a permanent deal in the New Year – with it being fairly obvious that a long-term future at Barcelona is non-existent.
The LaLiga champions will certainly demand a higher fee for his services but Everton have the finances to secure a deal that would hand them a very competitive quota of central midfielders, with Gomes fighting Tom Davies and Idrissa Gueye for a first-team spot.
Gomes’ ability on the ball could get even more out of Everton’s two top-scorers this season, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Richarlison, providing a catalyst for success in the remainder of the campaign.