Everton’s Thierno Barry level with Erling Haaland in key attacking stat
Everton ace Thierno Barry is right up there with Erling Haaland so far this season.
The Frenchman has been thrust into the spotlight as the Blues' main striker for the new campaign.
David Moyes' side allowed Beto to leave on transfer deadline day, then failed to bring in Folarin Balogun.
That only served to increase the pressure on Barry, as he has a lack of natural competition in the squad.
The 23-year-old has notched four goals in six matches, but has not scored in his last four appearances.
Now, the latest reveal puts him in esteemed company with the Manchester City star.
What is the latest reveal that places Thierno Barry with Erling Haaland?
Barry has reacted well to the increased expectation that has been placed on his shoulders.
The former Villarreal man had a lot of criticism last season, as he struggled to score and missed key chances.
According to Opta data provided by the Guardian, Barry ranks joint-seventh for non penalty expected goals per shot, among players to have taken six or more shots in the Premier League.
That is level with Haaland, Ipswich Town striker Emersonn and Newcastle's Yoane Wissa.
If he can continue to match those players in a key metric, he should get himself on the scoresheet a lot more, and enjoy a superb second season on Merseyside.
What do the stats say about Barry's performances for Everton so far?
The data suggests that Barry is having a very good season so far, especially in the league.
He has averaged 3.83 shots per 90 minutes, with 1.09 chances created, per Fotmob data.
As well as his offensive contributions, he is also helping out at the back, with 3.28 defensive actions per game.
The France Under-21 international has made 0.27 tackles, 2.19 recoveries and 0.55 clearances.
In terms of duels, he has won 44.2 per cent on the ground and 37.1 per cent in the air.
The numbers suggest that he is playing with more confidence and becoming a key cog in Moyes' machine in L3.
If he can keep it up and be alongside the best in the right metrics going forward, that will stand him in good stead to make the best impression this season, and perhaps fire the Toffees into European qualification.