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This season of the Premier League has been a roller-coaster ride for Everton. Despite spending heavily in the summer, the Merseyside club had a disastrous start to the season under their former manager, Marco Silva. Poor performances and back-to-back defeats saw them languishing in the relegation zone at one point of time.
However, the Toffees have seen a significant turnaround under their new manager, Carlo Ancelotti. In a short period, the Italian manager has turned their relegation battle into a race for European spots. The Toffees have lost just one of their last eight games and have moved to seventh place in the league- just five points behind the fourth-placed, Chelsea.
The Toffees look like a completely different team under Ancelotti and his assistant, Duncan Ferguson. All the players have improved and are producing some excellent performances over the past two months. However, there are some stand-out players who have helped the team achieve its goals.
Here we look at three key players who have played a major role in Everton's resurgence under Carlo Ancelotti.
#1 Mason Holgate
Under the former manager, Marco Silva, the youngster was the third choice center-back and rarely got a chance in the first team.
However, in recent weeks, the defender has seen a complete change of fortune. Since the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti, the 23-year-old has arguably been the most improved player for the Toffees and has enjoyed a consistent run in the first team. Holgate has formed a solid defensive partnership with Yerry Mina and has repaid his manager's faith with a string of impressive performances.
The youngster is a modern-day center-back, who is adept at turning defence into attack. Holgate is extremely composed on the ball and has a knack for driving forward at the opposition. Apart from his ball-playing abilities, the youngster possesses an impressive defensive acumen. The Everton defender has averaged 1.2 tackles per game this season with a duel success rate of 72%.
At 23, the defender is still young and it will be exciting to see how develops under Carlo Ancelotti’s tutelage.
#2 Dominic Calvert-Lewin
In the last couple of years, the No.9 position has been an area of concern for Everton. The Toffees have struggled to find a suitable replacement for their former star forward, Romelu Lukaku, who moved to the Old Trafford in 2017. Since then, whoever they signed to play in attack, turned out to be a disappointment. However, it seems Dominic Calvert-Lewin, a player who cost them nothing, maybe the solution to their problems up-front.
The English forward, who has often been criticized in the past for his lack of goals, has finally come of age and silenced all the critics this season with his exceptional goal-scoring form. The striker has been a crucial player for the Toffees, scoring 13 goals this season.
The 22-year-old is a traditional center-forward with excellent aerial abilities and athleticism. Apart from being adept at finding the back of the net, the youngster also possesses a high work-rate, which makes him crucial to Everton's high-pressing style of play.
With Euro 2020 around the corner, the striker will hope to continue his excellent form for the remaining part of the season and impress the England manager, Gareth Southgate.
#3 Richarlison
Richarlison moved to Goodison Park from Watford in 2018 for a reported fee of €35m. Since then, he has gone from strength to strength and has established himself as one of the crucial members of the Everton squad.
The Brazilian possesses incredible pace, dribbling skills and a knack for scoring goals. The 22-year-old has been the talisman for the Toffees this season and has contributed to 15 goals, scoring 11 and creating four. Additionally, the forward is highly versatile and can play centrally or on either of the wings.
Furthermore, the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti has had a positive impact on the youngster. Under the Italian manager, the 22-year-old has been playing alongside Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as the center-forward in a 4-4-2 formation. This has reduced his defensive responsibilities and has allowed him to play with much more freedom.
His recent performances have brought him into the limelight and many top clubs are keeping a close eye on him. Recently, there were reports that Barcelona have shown keen interest in bringing the Brazilian forward at the Camp Nou.
