Andros Townsend asserted that Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin has never been an injury-prone player despite his current struggles.
On Wednesday (September 28), the Toffees front beat Aston Villa in the Carabao Cup and looked back to the levels that most fans had come to anticipate during the 2020/21 season, when he scored 21 goals across all competitions.
Calvert-Lewin’s ongoing battle to remain healthy over the past few of seasons has disappointed both him and Everton supporters, but his former teammate and current commentator Townsend has lavished praise on the England international for his efforts to recover from an injury.
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, as quoted by BBC Sport (28 September, 11:16) he said: “Dominic has never been an injury-prone player. For Dominic, it was not about pressure to come back and save Everton, it was for his own sake.
He needed to get back fit. Every time he broke down injured it killed him because he is not a player who doesn’t care about football.
He doesn’t lead a lifestyle he shouldn’t. He does everything he can to make sure he is the best he can be, in terms of nutrition, gym, physio – he invests so much money. Every time he does break down, it kills him.
He was in tears the last time, at the conclusion of the previous season, since he could never seem to get going.
murders him
There are few players in Sean Dyche’s current squad who are more capable of scoring than Calvert-Lewin, who will be necessary for Everton to move up the Premier League standings and stay well away from the relegation zone.
Townsend’s statements make abundantly clear his affection for Everton and his desire to see the Toffees prosper in addition to his propensity for scoring goals. The striker’s emotions after yet another injury demonstrate how fervently he wants to play for Dyche’s squad and maintain his physical fitness.
Although his previous two performances have almost been a throwback to the Calvert-Lewin we all remember, maintaining his fitness is now important for both he and Everton. The Goodison faithful have frequently witnessed glimmers of what the 26-year-old is capable of before finding him back in the hospital.
The goal is that Calvert-Lewin can captain the line as the Toffees compete in the middle of the table rather than towards the bottom thanks to the preseason work both the striker and the backroom crew put in to make him stronger and more resilient than before.
He and Beto playing together may be interesting since their combined physical presence could be terrifying.
