Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s return has been praised by Idrissa Gueye, who also shared the message conveyed by Sean Dyche to the Everton team in recent weeks, writes the LiverpoolEcho.
After a string of injuries that have marred his recent seasons, Calvert-Lewin made his comeback to the starting line-up in the away game against Crystal Palace last month. This season, the striker has only featured in 14 Premier League games for the Toffees due to various knocks, while he made 18 appearances across all competitions in the previous campaign.
In Monday night’s 2-2 draw against Leicester City, the 26-year-old forward, despite his recent injury troubles, scored the opening goal from the penalty spot. This was Calvert-Lewin’s first goal since returning from his injury. When asked about the forward’s return, Gueye praised him, saying that it was fantastic to have him back and that he looks more than 100% fit. Gueye also emphasized the importance of Calvert-Lewin to the club.
He said: “The fact he’s come back and he’s out on the field—that’s fantastic. We know he wants to help the team as much as he can, and that’s great for us.
“The manager loves that type of player who is prepared to run, work hard, fight for the ball, and score goals. We appreciate that as a group of players as well.
“We love to work with Dominic. We need his performances right until the end of the season, but it’s not just Dominic in the attack.
“We have plenty of others who can make the manager’s choice a difficult one, but in a good way. We have other attackers who can make a difference between now and the end of the season, too.”
With only one win in their last 10 games, Everton’s chances of being relegated for the first time since 1951 are serious. With just four games left, the Blues are currently inside the bottom three. Although Sean Dyche managed to collect six points from his opening three games, his team’s recent run of form has seen them score only 10 goals and concede 22 in their last 11 matches, resulting in only eight points won.
However, despite the poor form, Idrissa Gueye has stated that the message from his manager has remained the same since his arrival at the club, as he told evertonfc.com.
He said: “He’s a really cool guy. He’s a cool manager. I think one of the reasons he was brought in was because he knows how to manage these situations.
“He’s been in similar situations before, and I think that’s why the club decided to bring him in. The smile he has and the confidence he has have managed to bring a renewed energy to the club.
“Not only is he instilling this joie de vivre, but he’s also giving us an intensity to go right to the end. We have to fight until the end. There’s time for looking at the table at the end of the season, but not currently.
“The training sessions have been great, and they’re filling us with hope and energy ahead of each game. His mantra is ‘the minimum requirement is maximum effort,’ and that’s at all times. We must give it our all for the rest of the season.”