Everton are in a drastically better position early into the new Premier League season compared to where they were when the 2024/25 campaign kicked off.
Sean Dyche's Toffees would lose all three of their opening league clashes, conceding an alarming ten goals along the way.
While the defence hasn't quite been staunch under David Moyes in the early stages of this season, the Toffees do have a promising two wins next to their name from the three contests this time around.
David-Moyes-Everton-Grealish
Four goals have been shipped, but an impressive five goals have also been put away with some confidence, as their new leading man in attack, Jack Grealish, attempts to show the Premier League what he's all about, still, after a bruising Manchester City stay.
Grealish's red-hot start at Everton
Away from the excitement and fanfare that was generated after his Toffees announcement, there would have been some lingering worries in the air that the former Aston Villa midfielder could be a flop on Merseyside.
After all, his time at the Etihad has been topsy-turvy to say the least, culminating in the three-time Premier League winner collecting a mere seven goal contributions last season from his limited first-team chances.
However, there didn't need to be so many concerns based on his lightning-quick start to life donning Everton blue, with Grealish already only three short of last season's tally at City, as seen in him picking up a blistering four assists from just four clashes to date. His early season heroics have deservedly seen him nominated for the division's August Player of the Month award.
August Premier League Player of the Month
The exciting 29-year-old playmaker will hope he can keep this red-hot form up over the course of the long, gruelling campaign, with Moyes and Co more than happy to shell out £50m - as is his price-tag at the end of the loan - to keep him around permanently if he does so.
Everton star Jack Grealish
Everton star Jack Grealish
Amazingly, however, there is another attacker who used to call Merseyside home who has an ever-increasing worth that even eclipses Grealish's bumper valuation...
The ex-Toffee now worth more than Grealish
Everton have fallen victim many a time to selling players before they've reached their peak.
Faces such as Ademola Lookman and Moise Kean immediately spring to mind, who have a combined tally of 107 goal contributions between them for their current employers, Atalanta and Fiorentina.
In Everton blue, they could only muster up a weak 12, in contrast. Thankfully for Anthony Gordon, while he never set the world alight regularly at this boyhood club, he did at least surpass this meagre amount before sealing a £45m switch to Newcastle United.
Dubbed a "delight to work with" by ex-Toffees boss Frank Lampard, Gordon would bow out from his time on Merseyside with a reasonable seven goals and eight assists from 78 clashes.
However, as much as Lampard would wax lyrical about working with him, the manner in which the Liverpool-born attacker left his boyhood club behind did leave a sour taste in the mouths of those on Merseyside.
Gordon-Everton-Moshiri-Premier-League
Anthony Gordon
Unbelievably, it was alleged that the now 12-time England international reportedly skipped training in the midst of the 2023/24 season - which saw the Toffees languish near the drop-zone - to push through a big January move.
Gordon's numbers at Newcastle
Games played
Goals scored
Assists
Value when joining
Value now
Sourced by Transfermarkt
Unfortunately for those back in Liverpool, Gordon would go on to be a rip-roaring success at St James' Park, with a standout 45 goals and assists across 108 Magpies contests to date, even helping the Toon lift the EFL Cup last season.
Off the back of turning into even more of a "nightmare" for defenders to thwart - as he self-professed - Gordon has also seen his transfer value rise to £56m, via Transfermarkt, which is £6m more than man of the moment Grealish's own price-tag.
Anthony Gordon 2023-24 and 2024-25 stats (timeless)
In an ideal reality, Everton might well have kept the wantaway winger at his hometown club for longer.
But, with Grealish now in through the door, on top of Moyes also having the likes of Iliman Ndiaye at his disposal, his absence isn't that sorely felt anymore, with a further hope that the captivating 29-year-old can stick it out permanently down the line to avoid any similar Gordon-style heartbreaks from occurring.