Dominic Calvert-Lewin is unfortunately not going to have the international break that he would have wanted.
The Everton striker has been on the sidelines for the whole of the 2022/23 campaign so far after picking up an injury shortly before the opening match against Chelsea at Goodison Park. With the England squad now congregating for the last time before Gareth Southgate makes his picks for the World Cup this winter, the Blues man is potentially running out of time to stake his claim to travel to Qatar.
The 25-year-old returned to training at Finch Farm recently, but was left out of the squad to face West Ham United at the weekend. Frank Lampard later confirmed that was just a precaution, to make completely sure that the forward has overcome his latest issue.
READ MORE: Frank Lampard's task made clear at Everton as club look to recover £13m blow
READ MORE: Nathan Patterson injury latest as Scotland boss gives update on Everton star
Rumours then began to circulate that the forward had suffered another setback in his recovery, but the ECHO understands he is just being watched over closely as a precaution after feeling some tightness in training. Thankfully, he is still in line to be involved against Southampton at the beginning of next month as things stand.
Given the amount of setbacks which have plagued the last 12 months for Calvert-Lewin, you can certainly understand why the manager would be cautious. He's still a very important player in the Everton side, and perhaps the performance against West Ham went some way to showing that.
Neal Maupay's excellent finish in the second half was eventually the difference between the two sides in what was often a cagey fixture at Goodison. In fact, throughout the match the new summer signing showed some very interesting qualities in terms of what he can bring to the side in the future.
Speaking before the game, the player himself admitted that he possesses different qualities to that of Calvert-Lewin. Whether that means the pair can line up alongside each other in the future is yet to be seen, but they certainly provide different strengths in different scenarios.
The former Brighton man remarked: "We are two strikers, but we are completely different in terms of attributes. He's very tall, strong, in the box a lot - whereas my game is more coming short and running in behind.
"To be successful in the Premier League you've got to have two or three players in every position. There's a lot of games, there's injuries. If Dom plays and we play only one striker I'll come off the bench, we'll find a way. But the more quality we have the better it is for the team."
Their differences provide Everton with multiple avenues to score, and the game against West Ham proved that the side could well do with someone of Calvert-Lewin's qualities. Carlo Ancelotti worked hard with the striker to turn him into a poacher inside the box, someone who would only need one touch to score a goal.
Everton in total put 20 crosses into the box on Sunday afternoon, with none of them leading to a goal. Some of them, particularly from Demarai Gray who produced nine by himself, flashed right across the face of goal in an area you'd usually expect a striker of the 25-year-old's quality to be.
Maupay isn't that type of six-yard box poacher and that's ok in certain circumstances. Particularly his link-up play with Alex Iwobi, who has been the most creative player in the Blues side this season, benefits from the forward either dropping into spaces in front of the defence, or hanging off the last shoulder and looking for a through-ball in behind.
Everton have struggled to find the back of the net throughout the course of the campaign so far and are yet to score twice in the same match on any occasion this season. Much of that will have been down to the lack of a striker in the opening matches of the campaign, with Calvert-Lewin injured.
His return, however, could play into the hands of the club's wingers who are clearly still delivering the ball into dangerous areas from those wide positions. Whether that be utilising the striker's fantastic aerial ability or allowing him to use his large frame close to the ground with more drilled efforts into the box, Calvert-Lewin seems more suited to that delivery than Maupay.
If Everton are to continue in that manner, then they still need their lead striker. Of course, much of that depends on keeping him fit.
READ NEXT:
- Everton have been transformed by three players as Carlo Ancelotti 'priority' signing faces uncertain future
- 14 stunning latest images of new Everton stadium work at Bramley-Moore Dock
- Everton stadium 'boost' from Euro 2028 explained as Liverpool and Anfield miss out
- ‘We know’ - Conor Coady makes Neal Maupay claim after first Everton goal
- Everton's transfer success has helped Frank Lampard answer burning managerial question
