Everton striker target compared to Erling Haaland after hitting impressive milestone

Sean Dyche could not rely on his defence to come to Everton’s rescue at the opposite end of the pitch.

James Tarkowski and Seamus Coleman had both conjured goals for the Toffees in 1-0 defeats against Leeds United and Arsenal.

But there was to be no surprise match-winner against Aston Villa last weekend. Everton succumbed to a 2-0 reverse as Dyche fell to a first Goodison Park loss.

It was the sort of performance - and result - that had been expected sooner or later. Everton’s issues in the final third are scarcely a secret and the Villa defeat was a paragon of that. The Blues created several gilt-edged opportunities yet couldn’t find the back of the net. Neal Maupay wasted several good chances, with Amadou Onana forcing a good save out of visiting keeper Emi Martinez in the first half.

With Dominic Calvert-Lewin continuing to be troubled by injury, this time a hamstring issue, a paucity of goals is a chief reason why the threat of Premier League relegation looms. There is a concerning lack of cutting edge.

The January transfer window was regarded as pivotal to the Toffees remedying their insipid threat in the final third. Yet not one player was signed despite majority owner Farhad Moshiri’s pledge to supporters that a striker would be signed.

To be frank, Everton's failure to recruit an attacker in January will be mentioned after every toothless defeat. Judging by the Villa game, there will be more between now and May.

Supporters don't need reminding how an already edentate side was not bolstered with a solitary frontman last month. Despite banking £40 million for Anthony Gordon, no fresh face arrived.

There were enough players linked on transfer deadline day. With every hour that passed, it seemed a new name would emerge.

One who supporters aplenty would have approved of is Viktor Gyokeres. The Coventry City marksman has established himself as one of the most prolific goalscorers in the Championship over the past 18 months and he looks capable of making a step up to the top flight.

However, the Sky Blues were unprepared to lose Gyokeres as they push for the play-offs. A reported £25 million price tag was slapped on the Sweden international's head to stave off interest.

Yet on the day that the Blues fired blank and the threat of relegation reappeared, Gyokeres displayed his devastating potency. He fired his 16th goal of the season in Coventry's 2-1 victory against Sunderland. What’s more, it was Gyokeres' third goal in as many matches while it was his 20th goal contribution in the second tier having laid on five assists.

After the win, Sky Blues chief Mark Robins likened Gyokeres to Manchester City's Erling Haaland.

“You can only judge him on the league he is playing in and the players he is playing against, but he looks a yard more powerful, a yard quicker and a real confident boy,” Robins told the Coventry Telegraph.

“He looks to me like. I don’t want to say ‘test himself in the Premier League’ but the power he possesses. Who is like that in the Premier League at the moment? Who looks too fast, too strong and too big, and you would suggest Haaland would be like that.

“Gyokeres in this league, with the players he plays against in the Championship, looks a yard faster and stronger, the way he could buy himself space to shoot looks pretty impressive."

Reports have suggested that Gyokeres is still on Everton’s radar heading into the summer. His contract expires in 2024 and Coventry may not want to lose him on a free transfer.

But in the meantime, Dyche and his backroom staff must come up with solutions to ensure the Toffees avoid relegation. The main one is how to augment Everton’s ability to score goals.