Everton boosted by return as Sean Dyche impressed by 'great professional' giving '100 percent' in training

Ben Godfrey’s emergence as a talisman for a depleted Everton squad has served as inspiration for younger teammates.

The defender was a fringe player for the first half of the season, featuring so rarely that a January move away from Goodison Park appeared a possibility.

Instead, he has proved to be the embodiment of the high standards Sean Dyche expects across his whole squad by working to ensure that, when his chance came, he could grab it.

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That opportunity arose over the festive fixture schedule and Godfrey, like several others who had warmed the bench during the opening months of the campaign, produced important displays when Everton were most vulnerable.

“He is a great professional,” teammate Lewis Dobbin said of Godfrey. “We see that every day in training. He always trains at 100% and always gives it all. He has deservedly secured his spot in the team and long may it continue.”

Godfrey’s determination to maintain his condition even while not playing has set a positive example to the likes of Dobbin, himself enjoying a breakthrough season with the senior squad. His first appearance came at Burnley as suspensions forced Dyche to reshuffle a side that had won three consecutive matches but went to Turf Moor knowing a defeat could create a shift in momentum at the bottom of the table. Everton kept a clean sheet as the club secured a big win, one of the highlights of which was the recovery challenge Godfrey made to prevent Zeki Amdouni from giving the hosts a route back into the game.

Godfrey produced a similar goal-saving