Everton has faced a long stretch of struggles in the Premier League, but they may be on the verge of a brighter future, as the Friedkin Group nears a deal to acquire Farhad Moshiri’s majority stake.
The 2024/25 season began on a sour note with four consecutive losses, casting a shadow over Goodison Park. However, after a draw against Leicester City, they turned things around with a victory over Crystal Palace, lifting Sean Dyche’s squad out of the relegation zone.
With three goals and two assists in the opening six matches for @Everton, have you been impressed by Dwight McNeil's form this season? 💥 pic.twitter.com/f1IsNgvFwY
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 1, 2024
The Merseysiders owe much of their resurgence to Dwight McNeil, who has made a strong start to the season, thriving in a new central attacking role. Everton signed McNeil from Burnley for £20 million over two years ago, where he had risen to prominence but couldn’t save his former club from relegation. Since joining Everton, he has scored 14 goals and provided 12 assists in 88 appearances, but this season he has truly begun to shine, already netting four goals and two assists in just eight matches, surpassing his total of three goals from 41 games last season.
According to FBref, McNeil ranks in the top 6% of players in Europe’s top five leagues for shot-creating actions and in the top 15% for progressive carries per 90 minutes, highlighting his effectiveness in advancing the ball and creating opportunities. Notably, he has outscored Dominic Calvert-Lewin this season, who has two goals and one assist in six matches after recovering his fitness.
Interestingly, a former Everton player is now outscoring both McNeil and Calvert-Lewin. Tom Cannon, who left for Stoke City, scored four goals in a single Championship match against Portsmouth, marking a standout performance in his young career. After moving to Leicester City on loan from Everton for approximately £7.5 million, Cannon is finally showcasing his potential.
Cannon was a prolific scorer at Everton’s youth levels but struggled to break into the first team despite a successful loan at Preston North End last season. He has wasted no time making an impact at Stoke City, lifting them to 14th place in the Championship.
🔥 FOUR goals from @tomcannon_ help fire @stokecity to a 6-1 win! #EFL | #SkyBetChampionship pic.twitter.com/DViGnjkbtb
— Sky Bet Championship (@SkyBetChamp) October 2, 2024
In his explosive performance against Portsmouth, Cannon not only scored four goals but also demonstrated his versatility by completing one dribble, winning a penalty, and maintaining an 81% pass completion rate while winning seven out of eleven duels. Everton may regret selling Cannon, especially since the funds from his transfer were used to bring in Beto from Udinese for up to £30 million.
Adding to their woes, Calvert-Lewin’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, and while Armando Broja has joined on loan from Chelsea, he has yet to play due to injury issues.
Cannon and ball. pic.twitter.com/IDagnIaW47
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) October 2, 2024
Meanwhile, Cannon has proven he possesses the goal-scoring talent needed for the Premier League, ranking in the top 6% of strikers across similar divisions for goals and in the top 9% for through balls per 90 minutes.
Cannon’s ability to play a dynamic role in Dyche’s system, combining hard work with the pace to break forward, suggests that Everton may have made a significant error by letting this young talent go for a relatively small fee.