Everton have hardly forged a huge roster of heroes in recent memory, but from the misery of their steady regression, a few select stars have risen from the ashes.
Jordan Pickford is one such name who remains one of the most revered players the club has, and yet Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who joined the year earlier, does not get the same plaudits.
Naturally, he is not as important as the former Sunderland man, but his goals have come at crucial times regardless of whether he has endured lengthy dry patches.
He remains a fine marksman for this club given its predicament, and still has scope to improve.
However, given his current trajectory, he could leave a legacy at Everton that few can deny by the end.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin on Tim Cahill’s Everton legacy
Speaking to Everton’s official website, the former Sheffield United striker, who recently brought up 54 goals for the club in the Premier League, looked ahead to those he will be hoping to surpass in the goalscoring charts.
With Romelu Lukaku way out in front, his next target was a more realistic one, outlining his intentions to usurp Tim Cahill in third place.
Calvert-Lewin would praise the Australian for his performances at the club: ‘It is something I’ve been aware of more recently. I didn’t know exactly the numbers but I’m aware of it and I know that if I keep scoring goals I’ll surpass who is in front of me. You look at the next person on that list – Tim Cahill, an Everton icon, maybe an Everton legend to some… In my mind, if I can surpass someone like that, I’m on the right track.
‘I also know there are certain things that are probably worth more than goals but, ultimately, that’s my job – that stands the test of time.
‘For me, I know that if I’m at the top of my game consistently, I don’t believe there are many better than me in the Premier League, so that’s what I’m focused on – consistently performing well and affecting games, contributing to winning games.’
Dominic Calvert-Lewin could sneakily leave as an Everton great
Although he has at times been a lightning rod for criticism, should Calvert-Lewin stick around at Goodison Park and keep scoring, he could actually end his career as an Everton great.
This is especially likely given the calibre of striker he is, having not yet shown enough to suggest he could fire them into Europe, but also not bad enough to need desperately replacing.
He does fantastically well for a really poor Toffees outfit, and throughout a tumultuous ownership he has remained the constant bit of quality.
His Premier League goal tally is indicative of this, and he is just two shy from equalling Cahill’s tally. In fact, he is even four away from Duncan Ferguson’s 60 Premier League goals scored for Everton too.
Lukaku’s 68 is still some distance away, but just one solid goalscoring season, were he to hit double figures for Sean Dyche, and he would be breathing down his neck.
Before we know it, despite many criticising his quality in front of goal, the 27-year-old could end his career as the club’s all-time top scorer in the Premier League.
This is all reliant on if Calvert-Lewin signs a new Everton contract soon, but he is talking like a player who has no plans to leave anytime soon.