Everton appointed a new manager last season in Marco Silva and spent a handsome amount of cash in the transfer window only to finish 8th in the Premier League table, same as the 2017/18 season.
The Merseyside club did, however, improve on their points tally from last season finishing with 54 points as compared to 49 points from the campaign before. Not just the points tally, the stability and the entertainment value in Toffees’ style of play has also taken a leap. Everton’s season peaked when Manchester United visited the Merseyside and were thumped 4-0 by Silva and co.
The Portuguese manager who made the move from Watford also brought Richarlison to Goodison Park who has been arguably their best player this season. With a manager like Silva at the helm, the future looks bright for the Toffees.
Let’s take a look at the three Everton players who impressed us the most in the 2018/19 Premier League campaign.
Lucas Digne
The French left-back made the move from Barcelona to Everton in search of more playing time and he has got exactly that. Digne has worked his way to becoming an undisputed starter at Goodison Park ahead of Leighton Baines and has been vital to Everton’s success in the 2018/19 season.
The 25-year-old stacked 4 goals and 4 assists in 35 appearances for the club and his work rate on the left-hand side both offensively and defensively ticks all the qualities required to be a top quality fullback in the modern era. His pinpoint crossing technique and shots from outside the area along with his work ethic make him one of the best left-backs in the league.
Gylfi Sigurdsson
The Icelandic international has been key to Everton irrespective of the manager on the sidelines. The 29-year-old proved his worth once again this season with 19 goal involvements to his name while putting the ball in the back of the net on 13 occasions.
The versatile midfielder’s mere presence in the team elevates the overall standard and he has only improved with time. Silva is dependent on him to provide the drive from midfield and if his displays in the second half of the season are anything to go by, Sigurdsson is in for an even better season next time around.
Richarlison
Richarlison followed his manager Marco Silva and made the move from Watford to Everton for a hefty £35m and at the close of his first season in Merseyside, he can arguably be called a success. There has been the odd criticism regarding his consistency but the signs are promising as far as his impact on the team is concerned.
In his 35 appearances for the club, the young forward scored 13 goals and assisted twice for his teammates but will look for improvement on these numbers next season around and Silva will have to make sure that the Toffees hold on to him in the summer transfer window.
Stat Courtesy: Whoscored, Transfermarkt
