Former Premier League midfielder Jamie Redknapp has hailed Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s recent performances – and has expressed his desire to see the 22-year-old continue his fine form for Everton.
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Calvert-Lewin scored three times across Everton’s post-Christmas double-header, heading home a late winner against Burnley before firing in a decisive double to see off Newcastle United at the weekend.
Carlo Ancelotti responded by tipping the striker to become one of the best across the continent, and Redknapp believes this praise could be key to his progression.
In his column for the Daily Mail, Redknapp suggested Ancelotti’s words should give Calvert-Lewin the confidence to nail down a place in the Everton attack for the foreseeable future.
He said: “What Ancelotti said will give Calvert-Lewin belief. It will give him confidence to hear a man with his reputation saying that about him.
“It feels like every transfer window, you hear about how Everton simply have to sign a top striker.
“But Calvert-Lewin should want to take on that role himself. I’d love to see him have a real crack at it. If this young forward is willing to listen and wants to learn, he might save that club an awful lot of money in the summer.
“Calvert-Lewin is already a nightmare to mark because he doesn’t stop running. You cannot doubt his work rate or desire. He is a big boy, too — strong, physical, capable of battling with any defender.”
The recent goalscoring form of Calvert-Lewin makes Redknapp’s praise no surprise. While he has notched in each of Ancelotti’s matches since the Italian’s arrival, he also recently grabbed a double against Chelsea in a December which has seen him more than double his Premier League tally for the season.
Given his young age, his upturn in form is certainly a promising sign going forward for the Everton striker, while he could hardly have timed his latest performances better having made a positive first impression to Ancelotti, who was also understandably complimentary of his double match-winning hero.
That arguably makes him extremely difficult to drop ahead of the coming weeks and the January transfer window – which may have Ancelotti looking elsewhere judging by the current form of Calvert-Lewin and the striker’s promising start to life under his guidance.
Everton fans, do you still want to sign a striker in January? Let us know what you think below!
