David Unsworth has paid tribute to the unstoppable Dominic Calvert-Lewin, telling BBC Sport that the soon-to-be England international has the most impressive leap he has ever seen.
While the former Sheffield United youngster took a while to convince everyone at Goodison Park that he was the ‘real deal’, the Toffees’ U23 coach knew from day one that this was someone a little special.
Long before he was banging in Premier League hat-tricks in that iconic number nine shirt, Calvert-Lewin spent his days honing his striking instincts as a budding teenager at boyhood club Sheffield United.
And former Blades favourite Unsworth, who has been following the Steel City-born forward’s progress for eight years now, is not surprised to see him catch fire at last.
“What first caught my eye was his gym work,” Unsworth said, reminiscing about the first time he witnessed a 15-year-old Calvert-Lewin in the flesh.
“We’d be there in the evenings and his power from a standing jump was the best I’ve ever seen. I thought ‘wow, there’s an incredible athlete there’.
“I would expect Dom to hit 20 goals this season and for every season after that. He’s the perfect number nine and his confidence is soaring.”
With nine goals in just six games this season, including lethal trebles against West Ham and West Brom, Calvert-Lewin is perhaps the most in-form striker in the whole of Europe at present.
And he certainly has Everton legend-turned-coach Duncan Ferguson to thank, after putting that famous jumping ability to good use in the penalty box.
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