David Moyes followed Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall towards the dugout to continue his praise for the playmaker. The credit continued as he took his seat on the bench and, had this performance been at home, 50,000 Everton supporters would have been on their feet to applaud him.

Instead, there was a job that still needed to be completed and the priority of the 3,000 supporters in the away end, of Moyes, and of his staff, remained to fight the nerves, the momentum and the Gallowgate end to hold on for victory. Eight minutes and one fine, flying save from Jordan Pickford later they were all celebrating a seventh win on the road this season.

That they had that opportunity was down to the work of so many of those in Royal Blue on Saturday afternoon, not least that completed by Pickford behind enemy lines. But Dewsbury-Hall was at the centre of everything. He has become the heartbeat of Moyes’ Everton.

OPINION

OPINION