Ainsley Maitland-Niles delivers exactly what Everton and David Moyes have craved in Ipswich win
The 29-year-old was signed in a £4.2million deal from Lyon on deadline day.
He already made an impression on supporters with a stunning last-gasp strike in his debut off the bench in the 2-2 draw with Manchester United.
Solid performances followed against Tottenham in the Premier League, then Wolves in the Carabao Cup.
However, his showing against the Tractor Boys may have been the best so far, as the Toffees ground out a narrow victory.
He delivered everything that the Blues needed in a very comfortable display at both ends.
How did Ainsley Maitland-Niles perform in Everton's win over Ipswich?
Maitland-Niles showed what he can offer his new club in the win over the newly-promoted side.
The former Arsenal man recorded an 88 per cent pass accuracy and created two chances for his teammates, per data from FotMob.
He made five line-breaking passes and two passes into the final third, as he helped David Moyes' side out offensively.
At the back, he had eight defensive contributions, with three tackles, one block and four clearances.
In terms of duels, he won six of seven on the ground for an 86 per cent success rate.
If he continue those performances, the Blues may finally have solved their problem position after years of misery.
Why Maitland-Niles will be loved by supporters
The supporters have been crying out for full-backs with natural attacking flair for a long time, and it looks like Maitland-Niles has answered their prayers.
He is comfortable taking the ball forward and trying to make something happen for Moyes' side, which Jake O'Brien could not manage last season.
His defensive ability also looks to be up to the standard that is required to play for the Toffees.
He has slotted in very nicely so far, and hopefully, he can continue to go from strength to strength.
That looks like it will be the case, judging by his recent performances, which should be a boost for the L3 outfit.
His quality could lead the Blues to a European qualification place if the rest of his teammates can raise their levels to match him.
That is the ultimate ambition, whether they can realise it, remains to be seen.