Everton verdict from Joe Thomas after the final pre-season friendly game at home to Sporting

Dominic Calvert-Lewin showcased his immense value to Everton but Sean Dyche ended pre-season with another injury headache after James Tarkowski hobbled off the pitch against Sporting.

The Blues centre-back and vice captain was clearly in pain as a club physio worked on his left knee and, while he was able to walk off unaided, he limped straight down the tunnel towards the end of the second half. There was clear concern in the Everton dugout as, just like with Dwight McNeil seven days earlier, thoughts immediately turned to assessing a knock suffered by a key player.

Tarkowski’s injury was the only sour note of a positive afternoon for Dyche. The silver lining was the impact of Calvert-Lewin as the 26-year-old built on his 45 minutes behind-closed-doors against Italian side Monza in midweek by playing the first half against Sporting, scoring from the penalty spot to give his side a 1-0 win.

His was a performance that will reassure supporters and Dyche about his improving fitness. It also highlighted how his presence is a gamechanger for this Everton squad. Calvert-Lewin provided an escape from trouble as he collected balls from Jordan Pickford on the halfway line, allowed his side to move up the pitch quickly through his protection of the ball and clever lay-offs and occupied opposition defenders in their own half. Everton had a focal point, a spearhead to an otherwise blunt attack that has struggled for two years to operate during the striker’s injury-enforced absences.

Calvert-Lewin is gaining in fitness when his team needs him more than ever. Dyche did not name last season’s top scorer McNeil in the matchday squad after he missed much of last week’s training following an injury picked up in the friendly at Stoke City. Arnaut Danjuma, the one-time Champions League predator who could form a capable partnership with Calvert-Lewin, was absent due to what the club has described as a minor knock. Demarai Gray, meanwhile, was not in the squad and is the subject of interest from a host of teams including next week’s opponents, Fulham.

So Everton need Calvert-Lewin as badly as ever. That is far from ideal and it has been the case for too long, with the priority of the remaining weeks of this latest transfer window to finally address this and to ease the burden on his shoulders. How successful Everton are in that endeavour will determine the ceiling of the club’s potential this season. But this was the latest lesson in how Everton are a different team when Calvert-Lewin is available.

It was Calvert-Lewin who pulled the ball back to Abdoulaye Doucoure for the penalty from which the striker opened his summer account. Doucoure’s shot was blocked by the arm of Eduardo Quaresma and, despite the defender’s protests, referee Peter Bankes pointed to the spot.

The goal, on the brink of half-time, gave Everton a lead they did not deserve after 45 minutes in which Sporting had created the better chances. The visitors, who knocked Arsenal out of last season’s Europa League on the way to the quarter-finals, started the better side and looked menacing across an opening 30 minutes in which Viktor Gyokeres and Pedro Goncalves caused problems for the home defence. Gyokeres, linked with Everton for so long before his move from Coventry City to Sporting this summer – a deal which Everton hope will trigger the arrival of Youssef Chermiti from the Lisbon side in the coming days, engaged in a hard-fought battle with Ben Godfrey and Tarkowski. The Sporting striker played Geny Catamo in at the back post and Goncalves through on goal only to watch as both missed the glorious chances he had presented them. He was not without fault though – heading straight at Jordan Pickford with the goal gaping. But this was a display that suggested he would improve this Everton squad had the club swooped for him.

Gyokeres’ miss came seconds after Everton’s best chance from open play as Doucoure fired a volley at Antonio Adan, who was able to recover quickly enough to block Calvert-Lewin’s header from the rebound. Calvert-Lewin’s appearance, impact and goal will mean the storyline of this friendly will be dominated by him. Yet Amadou Onana was Everton’s best player, growing into the game and, after a quiet start, dominating the midfield with big tackles, bursts into the Sporting half and the composure to feed teammates into dangerous positions.

Onana, who joined from Lille for £33 million last summer, starts his second season in the Premier League as an unknown quantity. Showings such as his imperious display in the win over Arsenal in February have alerted Goodison Park to his immense talent. If Dyche can bring consistency to the Belgian international’s performances he could unlock another game-changing performer within this squad.

It was Onana who fed Alex Iwobi as the midfielder crossed for substitute Neal Maupay in the second half, Maupay just unable to get enough on the ball to direct it goalwards. Onana then came even closer after a lovely one-two with Idrissa Gueye allowed him the space to curl against the far post from 20 yards. It was the closest either side came in a tame second half in which Maupay worked hard to drop deep and link defence to attack and fellow half-time substitute Jarrad Branthwaite impressed at centre back. Dyche may well rule the result unimportant but he will no doubt be pleased with the stand out points of a game that saw Calvert-Lewin return to action, Onana dominate the midfield of a seasoned European outfit and another clean sheet.

The extent of Tarkowski’s injury will determine his true feelings about this match though. Last season, it was an injury to Calvert-Lewin on the eve of the campaign that derailed Frank Lampard’s plans. Dyche will be hoping to avoid a similar fate with a player almost as important.