Everton took another step towards survival after securing a well-earned point at home to Tottenham Hotspur on Monday evening, with unlikely hero Michael Keane netting a thumping late equaliser to cap a thrilling end to proceedings at Goodison Park.
After a rather drab opening, the game sprung to life following the dismissal of Abdoulaye Doucoure after the Frenchman appeared to lash out at England captain, Harry Kane, with the latter man later converting from the penalty spot following a foul by Keane on Cristian Romero.
A further red card for Lucas Moura subsequently evened things up, however, with the Toffees taking full advantage by drawing level at the death, ensuring that Sean Dyche's men are now enjoying a run of four Premier League games without defeat.
That positive outcome had appeared unlikely, however, amid the loss of Doucoure early in the second half, with the experienced midfielder having almost cost his side with what was a needless, albeit soft, moment of madness.
Having ultimately come through unscathed against the Lilywhites, Dyche's major concern will now be how to cope without a player who has been "reborn" since his arrival in the dugout, as per writer Peter Guy, over the coming games.
After previously falling out of favour under former boss Frank Lampard, Doucoure has relished the chance to get back into the action in recent games, having provided four goal contributions in his last four league appearances.
Finding someone to fill the void of the 30-year-old will not be easy, although if the former Burnley boss is looking for a direct midfield replacement, he should seemingly look no further than summer signing, James Garner.
Who will replace Abdoulaye Doucoure?
There is no denying that it has been a rather wretched debut campaign on Merseyside for young Garner to date, with the former Manchester United man having been largely restricted to a watching brief after being pegged back by injury.
Signed for £15m after rising up through the youth ranks at Old Trafford, the England U21 international had come to wider attention as a result of his 18-month spell on loan at Nottingham Forest, prior to making the move to Goodison.
Last season, in particular, proved a real breakthrough for the Birkenhead-born menace as he scored four goals and provided eight assists in 41 Championship games, helping to power Steve Cooper's men to promotion.
The 22-year-old has so far been limited to just nine appearances across all fronts in his new surroundings – without providing a goal or an assist – although the 6 foot 1 ace could likely benefit from a consistent run of games in the centre of the park.
Undoubtedly a "special" talent – according to Statman Dave – Garner showed flashes of his quality during his late cameo against Spurs, having completed all seven of his passes and won both of his ground duels, having also earned two fouls for his side.
The one-time Watford loanee also offered a glimpse into the creative threat that was so obvious during his spell at the City Ground last term, having delivered a teasing, dinked free-kick late on that agonisingly evaded those in blue.
If the exciting talent was able to recapture the form that he previously showcased in the second tier it would surely be a real boost to Everton's survival hopes, with the loss of Doucoure potentially offering an ideal opportunity for Garner to earn an extended run in the side.