Dominic Calvert-Lewin picks perfect place to rekindle Everton love affair as 'reset' nears completion

Dominic Calvert-Lewin felt the love of Everton’s huge and vociferous travelling support on his return to Villa Park as they cheered him off after his smartly-taken second half goal capped a richly-deserved second away win in five days and Carabao Cup progress against Aston Villa.

Just five weeks ago, the Blues number nine had suffered heartbreak on his first start of the season when a collision with home keeper Emiliano Martinez had forced him off with a facial injury. Calvert-Lewin, a player whose bravery saw him spent the night in A&E after a bruising debut in non-League football on loan at Stalybridge Celtic from Sheffield United as a teenager gallantly tried to play on for Everton but the swelling became so much that his vision became hampered and he had no choice but to make way.

Nobody would have been more disappointed by the outcome than Calvert-Lewin himself. After a couple of years of injury nightmares – playing fewer than half the Blues matches in each of the previous two campaigns – manager Sean Dyche had vowed to leave no stone unturned when it came to solving his centre-forward’s fitness issues for good and the player underwent what was described as a “factory reset” in this regard over the summer.

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So to feel the frustrations of his own fans as he made his way to the touchline that day, must have been galling for a professional who always gives his all. But just as Everton had wilted at Villa Park in the sunshine in August, these two performances were also as different as night and day.

Calvert-Lewin acknowledged that football is “a funny old game” after the jubilation he received from travelling Evertonians after his first goal from open play in 11 months at