Senegal striker Oumar Niasse is one of very few players at Everton who can be proud of the performances they have put in so far this season, as the striker emerged from the cold to get goals for a side that was in dire need.
His goals may not have helped much in terms of overturning some disappointing results, but at the very least Niasse has proven that he an play at the Premier League level, something that was questioned by fans, pundits, and even his own manager following his arrival from Lokomotiv Moscow in 2016.
Despite a fruitful loan spell at Hull City, Niasse returned to Everton only to be told that he had no future, and after telling manager Ronald Koeman that he wanted to stay and fight for his place, it has since emerged that the Dutchman did everything he could to push the player away.
Speaking to the BBC as he was not involved in the Europa League clash with Atalanta, Oumar Niasse revealed that he believed Ronald Koeman tried to destroy his career.
When Koeman arrived, I was a really good target to destroy, so he tried it, but I was strong enough to stay.
I worked so hard to come to the Premier League, so I had to stay, and for him to make me go - to make me give up and go - he had to do a lot of things that were not nice.
Like taking me locker, taking my shirt number, take me out of the dining room where we eat, take me out of training, sending me to the U23s with no locker there, it was very difficult.
You need a very strong mentality to deal with that because you don't have any respect in the club. Using the word slavery is too much, but it's very difficult, that's all I can say.
It doesn't reflect particularly well on Koeman. It's one thing informing him that he is not in the club's first-team plans, especially one you didn't buy (Niasse was inherited having been signed by Roberto Martinez) but to attempt to erase him from the record while he was still an employee of the club is uncalled for.
Koeman was forced to swallow his pride and play Niasse due to the chronic lack of striking options at the start of the season, and Niasse has earned the respect of everyone involved with the club with his performances since.
