‘The sky is the limit’ – the resurgence of Calvert-Lewin

“When you get a certain narrative around you and are tarred with a certain brush, it’s quite hard to shake it.”

Dominic Calvert-Lewin delivered those words after Leeds came from behind to take a point off Brentford on Sunday. Having been the player to score the equaliser he was able to reflect on how he has managed to change opinions.

Before the last international break, he had only scored one goal for his new club Leeds United.

The knives were out and plenty of Leeds supporters may have been fearing a repeat of the 28-year-old’s final season for Everton, in which he scored just three goals in an injury-hit campaign.

But since the Premier League returned in mid-November the Englishman has been on a mission, netting four goals in five games, including strikes in each of his past four matches.

His latest goal was a perfectly timed header into the far corner to rescue a draw for Leeds at Brentford and take his side three points clear of the relegation zone.

After scoring for the 62nd time in the Premier League on Sunday, Calvert-Lewin told Sky Sports: “I’m feeling good. I think the performances are speaking for themselves at the moment,

“For me, it was always about being mentally tough and hanging in there at certain points and step-by-step, day-by-day putting performances together and all of a sudden the tide starts to turn and you start scoring goals. That is the life of a centre forward.

Calvert-Lewin signed a three-year contract with Leeds when he joined on a free transfer in August having ended a nine-year spell with Everton on a disappointing note.

The ex-Sheffield United player may have earned 11 England caps during his time with the Toffees, but ended up leaving at the end of last season when his contract expired after being hindered by a glut of bad injuries.

Indeed, Calvert-Lewin has missed nearly 600 days through injury since the 2018-19 season.

However, this campaign though he has been available for 14 of Leeds’ 16 top-flight matches.

“This is the fittest I’ve been in a long time and I’ve worked extremely hard to get in this position,” he said.

“When you get a certain narrative around you and are tarred with a certain brush, it’s quite hard to shake it.”

Calvert-Lewin’s purple patch has coincided with Leeds reigniting their Premier League survival bid.

Daniel Farke’s side have taken five points from their last three matches to move out of the relegation zone, having previously been on a four-match losing streak.

Calvert-Lewin’s former team-mate for club and country Conor Coady told BBC Radio 5 Live: “If Leeds can keep him fit and firing they have a right chance of staying in the division.

“The amount we missed him [when he was injured] when I played with him was unbelievable and you felt it week after week.

Is it even time to start talking about Calvert-Lewin’s chances of an England call up? Leeds boss Farke seems to think so.

The German called his centre-forward, who last played for England in 2021, as “one of the best English strikers in the Premier League” on Sunday.

“My relationship with [England manager] Thomas [Tuchel] is so close and he knows if he has any questions, he can call my number and we can speak about it,” Farke said.

“It always depends on the performances and I think the sky is the limit for Dominic.

“He was very unlucky in the last couple of years with injuries, but his quality was never in doubt and his CV speaks for itself.

“For me, he is one of the best English strikers in this league. Harry Kane is playing in Germany for Bayern Munich, but in the Premier League, he is definitely one of the best English strikers and he will be a key player for us going forward.”

But is the 2026 World Cup a target for Calvert-Lewin?

“The goal is always to play for your country and represent your country at a World Cup,” he said.

“But my job is to do as best as possible for Leeds and that’s what I came here to do – score goals at club level and just play my best football.

Calvert-Lewin had been on Leeds’ radar early on in the summer window so his signing was hardly a knee-jerk reaction.

The striker was briefly linked with both Manchester United and Newcastle but when Leeds were given the opportunity to bring him in they pounced. Farke believed if he could get Calvert-Lewin firing he would be the one to propel them up the table.

He is Leeds’ main man up front and fans have taken to him thanks in large part to his effort and link-up play.

He’s like a fine wine the way he’s matured. He’s found his home and seems to be loved at Leeds where his influence on others is really good.

He missed a few chances early on, including a penalty in the League Cup against Sheffield Wednesday on his debut, but he’s now on his best goalscoring run since he was playing under Carlo Ancelotti at Everton.