Dominic Calvert-Lewin put his Everton allegiances to one side while highlighting a “top” performance from Raul Jimenez in last night’s Premier League defeat at Wolves, speaking to Sky Sports (1 November, 10pm).
While there’s been the odd flash of genius from Wolverhampton Wanderers’ mercurial Mexican this season, his performance against the Toffees at Molineux was his best, most influential, most complete performance since that fateful north London night 12 months ago.
It wasn’t just the way Jimenez took his goal, dinked beautifully over an advancing Jordan Pickford after intercepting Ben Godfrey’s under-hit back pass, it was the way he combined with Francisco Trincao and Hwang Hee-chan, dropping into midfield and spraying passes to the wings, defending from the front, hassling, harrying and haranguing.
“When a player’s out for a long time, you can almost forget how good he is,” pundit Jamie Carragher said of a man who is far more than a centre-forward – a playmaker and poacher rolled into one.
“He’s been described as maybe the best striker outside the Champions League positions. It’s not just his goals, his all-round play was fantastic (vs Everton).”
Raul Jimenez looked back to his best for Wolves vs Everton
“He looked a real threat,” Carragher added. “Everyone wants to see him back to his best and I think he was back to his best tonight. It was a real man of the match performance.”
Following a third straight Premier League defeat, Everton will be counting down the days until their own talismanic centre-forward is back to full fitness.
In Calvert-Lewin’s absence, Richarlison looked lost at Molineux, starved of chances and on the periphery throughout.
“I think (Jimenez) will be looking at that performance tonight and thinking he couldn’t have done any more,” Calvert-Lewin said, paying tribute to his opposite number.
“He got his goal, his all-round play was top, the way he linked play and got in behind. He caused us problems so he’ll be over the moon with a performance like that as a centre-forward.”
Bruno Lage’s Wolves are up to seventh in the Premier League, only four points adrift of the Champions League places.
Everton, meanwhile, will be praying DCL is back on the pitch soon.
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