By Dan Carter

12th Sep, 2023 | 7:40pm

Everton need to start finishing their chances as expected goals stat is revealed

Everton may have had a difficult start to the Premier League season only scoring twice in their opening four games, but statistically, the Toffees are due a few more goals.

Football statistics company Squawka took to Twitter on Tuesday (12 September) to report that Sean Dyche’s side currently sit seventh in the Premier League in terms of non-penalty expected goals so far this season, having registered 7.28 xG.

Brentford currently lead the way with Thomas Frank’s side creating an exceptional 8.45 from their start to the season, but the Toffees place above Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle, despite their lowly league position.

Dyche’s team found their first goals of the league campaign in their 2-2 draw with Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, while Jordan Pickford has suggested Everton have turned a corner under their new manager [Daily Mail, 10 September].

The Toffees are creating more than enough opportunities to score more often, placing sixth in the division for big chances created with 10, but their attacking exploits have been so poor they’ve missed 11 big chances, the joint highest, having been unable to also capitalise on defensive errors [Fotmob].

That has seen Everton register the lowest goals per game record in the Premier League with 0.5 and suggests that the Toffees problem isn’t a lack of creativity, rather they are missing the final touch to find the net.

Is Beto the answer?

The lack of goals at Goodison Park was the exact reason that Beto was signed this summer, with the hope that he would provide the finishing touch to drive the Toffees up the table and away from the relegation zone.

But he hasn’t always been the most clinical of forwards, with his Fbref scouting report showing that he has underperformed his non-penalty xG per 90 minutes of 0.34, only scoring a goal from open play 0.22 times per match.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin had a similar issue in the last year, having an expected goals of 0.37 per game away from the penalty spot, but only registering 0.07 goals per 90 minutes. However, the forward has barely played because of injury in the last few seasons.

For the Toffees to begin their ascent up the table they’re going to have to find a way of converting these chances into goals and to do that their two forward options are going to have to improve their own individual records.

In other Everton news, a former Toffees target has already moved to a new club having only joined a new team in January