Three things everyone has changed their mind on at Everton include £24m man

Everton have had a surprisingly positive start to the campaign.

There was so much frustration surrounding Hill Dickinson Stadium as transfer deadline day passed.

Having missed out on the signing of Folarin Balogun from Monaco, that was hardly a surprise.

David Moyes was left unhappy with the small size of his squad as it looked set to be a long, hard season.

The Toffees haven't let this annoyance get them down and it has actually spurred them on.

Everton remain unbeaten so far as we now assess what has taken everyone by surprise on Merseyside.

Thierno Barry scoring goals

There was a genuine concern that failing to bring Balogun in and selling Beto would cause a terrible situation for the Blues.

That left Thierno Barry as the only recognised, senior striker on the books.

It's fair to say that confidence was low in the Frenchman after an inconsistent debut season.

He may have scored eight, but arguably should have had many more.

The 23-year-old has helped turn that around this campaign having contributed to six goal involvements already, while also putting in much-better performances as a general rule.

That has taken many by surprise and there is also a feeling that there is still more to come from the forward.

Ainsley Maitland Niles' start to life at Everton

There has been a major need to add another right-back to the squad on Merseyside for many years.

Disappointment emerged when Ainsley Maitland-Niles came in as part of a last-gasp deal with Lyon.

The 29-year-old is a former midfielder who has adapted to being a right-back over time.

It has actually been a surprise to see the Englishman slot into the backline with relative ease.

He started with a screamer against Manchester United on debut and has gone on to put in a further three top performances.

No one truly expected him to be a regular starter, but any disappointment has vanished at this stage.

Has Tyrique George been worth £24m?

There was hope for the future when Tyrique George came in from Chelsea on loan in January.

It didn't really work out as he failed to score or assist in 11 appearances.

That didn't stop the Blues from signing him for a reported £24million in the summer.

Many believed this represented an overpay for a player who had shown very little while on loan.

He has gone on to put in a series of positive performances and has shown what sort of player he could go on to be.

George's goal against Man United was superb, while his ability on the ball has shone through.

The forward needs to work on his end product and consistency, but even now he's proven many wrong at Hill Dickinson Stadium.