Dominic Calvert-Lewin makes admission about facing Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium

Dominic Calvert-Lewin makes admission about facing Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium

Everton welcome Leeds United to Merseyside on Monday night, in a fixture that carries extra significance for Dominic Calvert-Lewin as he prepares to face the Toffees for the first time since leaving the club.

David Moyes will be keen for his side to build on their impressive victory over Aston Villa, but Leeds are expected to provide a tough examination. Daniel Farke’s men have shown clear signs of progress in recent weeks following a tactical reshuffle, and Calvert-Lewin has been central to their resurgence.

The England striker is enjoying a prolific run of form, currently sitting as the Premier League’s highest-scoring English player with nine goals to his name. Eight of those strikes have come in his last ten outings, underlining just how dangerous he has become. As a result, much of the attention heading into Monday’s contest will inevitably focus on the Leeds forward.

Speaking ahead of the match, Calvert-Lewin admitted it will feel unusual returning to Merseyside to take on his former club, particularly at a stadium where he never had the opportunity to play regularly. He missed the reverse fixture earlier in the season after only recently completing his move to Elland Road, making this his first appearance against Everton since departing on a free transfer.

Everton will be well aware of the threat he poses. James Tarkowski and Jake O’Brien were outstanding against Villa, and Moyes will be hoping for another commanding defensive display to keep Calvert-Lewin quiet. That may be easier said than done, however, with pundit Chris Sutton among those predicting the striker to score against his old side.

While Calvert-Lewin has attempted to downplay the narrative surrounding the game, he has conceded that lining up against Everton rather than leading their attack will feel “strange”.

His recent form has not gone unnoticed at Goodison Park, and it may make for uncomfortable viewing among some Everton officials. However, the club have been clear that retaining the striker was not financially viable. Moyes explained back in August that the decision was driven by economics, adding that the move may have come at the right time for Calvert-Lewin, who has since found stability at a “really good club”.

Given the circumstances, there appears to be little lingering regret on Everton’s part. Encouragingly for the Toffees, Thierno Barry is beginning to show real promise. The young forward still has plenty of room to grow, but three goals in his last four Premier League appearances suggests he is heading in the right direction.

Everton will be hoping Barry can continue that upward trajectory and perhaps even steal the spotlight from Calvert-Lewin when the two sides meet at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday night.