The views on this page are taken from the local and national media and do not necessarily reflect the views of Everton.

Thursday's edition of the Liverpool ECHO examines Everton’s striker options, looking into and comparing the statistics of Demarai Gray, Neal Maupay, Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Ellis Simms.

It is said: “Simms is actually ahead of his team-mates when it comes to shots per 90 minutes on the pitch with 2.67, followed by Maupay on 2.01; Gray (1.56) and Calvert-Lewin (1.51)."

On Simms’s impressive statistics, it is added: “Not only is the 22-year-old making more passes in the final third (11.33) than his older team-mates - Gray (11.21); Calvert-Lewin (9.42) and Maupay (6.92) - they’re hitting the spot too in terms of successful passes in the final third (8) compared to Gray’s 7.95, Calvert-Lewin’s 6.05 and Maupay’s 4.99.

“Gray, brought in from his usual role down the flanks, is the busiest of the players with 6.39 attacking actions per 90 minutes, ahead of Calvert-Lewin (4.19), Simms (4) and Maupay (3.5), and supporting Dyche’s theory that you’ve got to buy a ticket to win the lottery.”

Meanwhile, Premier League legend, Ian Wright believes Everton have the "fight" to stay in the league this season. As quoted by the Liverpool ECHO, the Match of the Day pundit had his say on the battle at the bottom of the Premier League table.

“I am really pleased for Leeds because Javi Garcia has definitely got the bounce,” acknowledged Wright. “You can feel the fans. You can feel something with the players and how they celebrate together.

“You can always notice with the players when something happens because everybody comes to celebrate. Everybody is feeling it, so everyone is together. You feel that with Leeds. They feel together. They have their little bounce. It looks like they might save themselves. It’s tight."

Wright then had his say on Everton and Southampton and believes both could stay strong until the end of the season.

“You have to look at the teams from Southampton, who are right at the bottom, to Palace,” said Wright. “You have to look at the ones that are trending in the right direction. Southampton look like they have got the fight. I feel like Everton have got the fight. That’s what it comes down to.

“I look at Palace - they can’t feel sorry for themselves. They need to find something quickly. Wolves are up and down. You don’t know what (Julen) Lopetegui side you are going to get.”

Elsewhere, former Everton academy prospect Conor Grant made a goalscoring return for Plymouth Argyle in their 2-0 win over Accrington Stanley.

As reported by the Liverpool ECHO, the 27-year-old marked his comeback from thigh surgery with a goal just four minutes after coming as the Pilgrims continue to apply pressure in the League One promotion race.

Grant burst forward in the 78^th-minute and fired a left-footed effort into the bottom corner to score his first goal of the season.