After Everton's narrow defeat to Manchester City in the Continental League Cup back in October, Brian Sorensen's assessment of his side's display was astute.
"What's the saying?" he quipped, "The operation went well but the patient still died." It was an amusing example of the Dane's trademark dry sense of humour but it also served as a pretty accurate appraisal of the Blues' performance against Gareth Taylor's side.
Everton hadn't played poorly, per se. They were simply edged out by a better team. But, having suffered back-to-back defeats against Brighton & Hove Albion and Leicester City in the weeks leading up to the City clash, it felt as if their season was already teetering on the brink of crisis.
Everton forward given fitting send-off as transfer dilemma becomes clear
Media theories about Everton points deduction are wrong but expectations have changed
If Everton are the proverbial patient in Sorensen's pithy analogy, then the hard-fought Merseyside derby win that followed their League Cup defeat did, at least, help revive them. More recently, back-to-back away victories over strugglers Aston Villa and West Ham United have thankfully brought the Blues off life support.
It means Sorensen's side end the calendar year with a tally of 11 points from 10 games - a figure that sees them currently residing in seventh place, six points clear of the drop zone. At the same juncture last season though, the Blues had 15 points. And they managed to double that haul before the campaign was through.
It's worth noting that Jess Park and Gabby George, who both found the back of the net in Everton's 3-2 win over Reading at the start of 2023, are no longer at the club. That the former, who was named the Blues' Young Player of the
Read on liverpoolecho.co.uk