No player epitomises the Toffees’ improvement quite like Beto, who continued his fine form with another goal at Selhurst Park.
The Guinea-Bissau striker’s opener in south London was his fourth goal in three league games – as many as he managed in 42 matches under Dyche.
The 27-year-old joined Everton from Udinese in August 2023 for a fee reportedly worth up to £30m, but scored only three goals in 30 top-flight appearances as he struggled to adjust to life in England.
After opening his account for the 2024-25 campaign in a 1-1 draw with Fulham in October, Beto then went nine league games without a goal before netting a double at home to Leicester City earlier this month.
He sent Goodison Park wild with a calmly-taken opener in the derby before opening the scoring at Palace with a similarly composed finish.
With a hamstring injury ruling out Calvert-Lewin for the rest of the season, Beto could hardly have picked a better time to hit a purple patch.
“What a week it has been,” Beto said in an interview with Match of the Day. “I’m happy to score, [as] last season I wasn’t so confident.
“Now I feel all my training, all my mental work and all the work I do with my team-mates is paying off. I believe that I belong in the Premier League and I’m a Premier League player.”
Nobody is more pleased with Beto’s goalscoring exploits than his manager, who believes the forward is still “getting better” as Everton climb the table.
“His chances have come through injuries [to other players],” Moyes said. “He probably saw a chance to play half a dozen games or so.
“It was down to him to show if he was capable. I’m really pleased for him.”