From nightmare debut season to Everton hero – Barry's revival

Last season Thierno Barry scored eight goals in 41 appearances. This season it's taken him just 12 games to match that tally. This season it's taken him just 12 games to match that tally. On Monday night Barry scored against Newcastle for the second time in five days as his side earned a deserved win at St James' Park in the Premier League. Only Erling Haaland (13) has scored more goals among Premier League players in all competitions this season than Barry (eight). The 24-year-old is on his best run of form since joining the club from Villarreal last summer and, as Everton's only recognised senior striker following Beto's transfer to Fiorentina, is currently indispensable to the Toffees.

By scoring once again Barry highlighted why Everton paid £27m for a striker who grew up watching Wayne Rooney and Romelu Lukaku score for the Toffees. The Frenchman had a rough start to life on Merseyside, having just one shot across his first 16 Everton games, and last month posted a video of himself breaking down during a private training session last season. That moment was contrasted by his celebration on Monday night, which started with a knee slide and ended with dance moves. "I was working a lot during the summer and now we can see the result," Barry told Sky