SUNDERLAND, Dec 28 – Six months after Everton let an injury-prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin leave on a free transfer, the English striker is on one of the hottest scoring streaks in the Premier League as he netted in a sixth straight game in Sunday’s 1-1 draw at Sunderland.
When he finished off a beautifully constructed counter-attack where every Leeds player touched the ball, he became the first Leeds player to score in six top-flight games in a row since John McCole in the 1959-60 campaign.
It is a remarkable turnaround for a player whose reputation had shifted from prolific goalscorer to injury-bulletin regular during his final years at Goodison Park.
‘GOOD RHYTHM AND MOMENTUM’
“I think it’s something that when you find a good rhythm and good momentum, the timing seems to come with it,” Calvert-Lewin told Sky Sports.
“As a centre-forward, you can make a lot of runs sometimes and not get the ball. You need a lot of things to come together for it to be a goal. Thankfully, at the moment, my form is good and I’m getting in the right places and I’m scoring goals.”
Once hailed as the ideal England backup to Harry Kane after he netted 21 times for Everton in a season, Calvert-Lewin’s form nosedived as he made headlines for a myriad of injuries rather than finding the back of the net.
His last season with Everton produced only three goals as the 28-year-old left the Merseyside club after a nine-year spell on a free transfer in June in what he had described as an “incredibly difficult decision”.
But where other sides saw a striker on the decline, Leeds saw unfulfilled potential as they signed him on a three-year deal.
Although he took his time to get going — with one goal in his first 11 appearances — he has since hit a purple patch under Daniel Farke.
SEVEN GOALS IN SIX STRAIGHT GAMES
Since the end of November, he has scored seven goals in six straight games against opponents which include Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool.
Even Kane had never managed to score in six straight Premier League games while it is the longest scoring streak by an English striker since Jamie Vardy managed to score in eight straight games in 2019.
“Everything feels quite fluid at the moment,” he added. “I think it’s taking a little bit of time for players around me to learn my game and what I’m good at.
“But I like to think when I get service and the ball comes to me, I’m lethal in the box.”
Calvert-Lewin was sparingly used at the Euros in 2021 — the last time he put on an England shirt — making two appearances off the bench and playing just 18 minutes in the tournament.
But should he sustain his hot streak or even improve his form, it could give Thomas Tuchel selection headaches when it is time to name England’s World Cup squad next year. REUTERS
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