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FROM EVERTON "FLOP" TO LEEDS HERO: THE SECRET BEHIND DOMINIC CALVERT-LEWIN’S 2026 CAREER REVIVAL

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is Leeds United's hero with 6 goals in 5 games. Explore how Daniel Farke revived his England World Cup hopes.

From Everton "flop" to Leeds hero: The secret behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s 2026 career revival
Six goals in five games?

Leeds United fans have had a blast this week, and Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the reason why. Forget Santa or even Daniel Farke; this striker is like the ultimate Christmas gift.

He's scored six goals in his last five games, including two in the Crystal Palace win last Saturday. Calvert-Lewin is now playing like everyone thought he could, but many worried he never would.

For too long, Calvert-Lewin was just a name on the injury list. A year ago, his manager, Sean Dyche, said he wasn't playing well. Playing for England? He barely made Everton’s bench.

His last season at Everton was tough. His contract was up in the air, and he went 16 games without a goal, only scoring three overall. It was clear he needed a fresh start.

Back in 2019, Calvert-Lewin wanted Everton’s No. 9 shirt, like his mentor Duncan Ferguson had. He loved the idea of being a fan favorite and taking on the responsibility.

But it didn't work out. Staying at Everton just didn't make sense for him or the team. He liked the idea of playing overseas, but there weren't many English teams interested.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has scored six goals in his last five games for Leeds United.

His late goal against Brentford got Leeds a point before Christmas.

The 28-year-old also scored twice in the 4-1 win against Crystal Palace.

Wayne Rooney, who played with Calvert-Lewin at Everton, said on his podcast that his injury record made it hard for teams to spend money on him.

'But if he keeps this up, he could be in the World Cup conversation because England doesn't have many forwards. He’s a threat in the box, good in the air, and scores goals.'

Since joining Leeds, Calvert-Lewin’s stats have gone up. He's gone from scoring every 538 minutes to every 147 minutes. He now runs 11 km per game, up from 10.3 km, and his shot accuracy has quadrupled.

His comeback has helped Farke, who was getting heat from fans in November.

But Farke can build players' confidence. He’s friendly, and he and Calvert-Lewin get along well. Calvert-Lewin plays best when he’s confident, and he’s starting to get that back.

Farke said, 'I’ve said he’s one of the best English strikers in the league. He also gets chances because we create good plays. We were good at set pieces last game.

Calvert-Lewin's good run started with three goals in eight days against Man City.

He scored in the 3-1 win against Chelsea.

He also helped Leeds come back from 2-0 down against Liverpool in a 3-3 draw.

‘It’s a team effort, and we need to get him in good positions. He also needs to keep working hard. I believe you get what you put in.

‘He’s putting in a lot of work now, and he needs to keep going. He’s playing great. I’m glad we have him. He's shown what he can do when he’s healthy. The season’s not over, and he wants to score more goals.’

If he keeps playing this well, Thomas Tuchel might consider him for the team. Calvert-Lewin was Harry Kane’s backup at the 2021 Euros.

Calvert-Lewin hasn’t scored ten goals in a season since 2020-21. Farke is happy with his play but knows he can do better.

Farke said, 'To be a top player for Leeds, he needs to do it for a whole season. Good players are steady. We’re all happy to have him, but he needs to keep it up.'

The best gifts last. It’s up to Calvert-Lewin to prove he can do it.

BRUNO SALTOR OFFICIALLY JOINS TOTTENHAM AS ASSISTANT COACH FOR THE NORTH LONDON DERBY

Tottenham appoints Bruno Saltor! Discover the new coaching team under Igor Tudor and the departures following Thomas Frank's exit.

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Tottenham Confirm Bruno Saltor as Assistant Coach Under Igor Tudor

Tottenham Hotspur just shook up their coaching staff, bringing in Bruno Saltor, a guy who’s worked with Chelsea and West Ham in the past.

Saltor’s stepping in alongside interim boss Igor Tudor until the season wraps up. Spurs let go of Thomas Frank earlier this month, and, like Manchester United, they’ve decided to go with a temporary setup for now and figure out the bigger picture in the summer.

Tudor, who’s managed clubs like Marseille, Lazio, and Juventus, is set to take charge for the first time this weekend in the North London derby against Arsenal. Saltor will be in the dugout for his first Spurs match, too.

If you’ve followed Saltor’s career, you might know he’s often worked with Graham Potter. That’s how he ended up at both Chelsea and West Ham. When Potter left Chelsea in 2023, Saltor took over as interim head coach. His one match in charge ended in a 0-0 draw with Liverpool. Frank Lampard replaced him soon after, and Saltor stayed on as part of the coaching staff until Mauricio Pochettino arrived, at which point he moved on. He later reunited with Potter at West Ham but left when Potter did in September.

Tottenham’s official statement confirmed the news: “Following the arrival of Igor Tudor as Head Coach until the end of the season, we can now confirm the appointment of three additional coaches to our Men’s First Team coaching staff. We welcome Bruno Saltor as Igor's assistant coach." Born in El Masnou, Spain, Saltor started his playing career in his home country before joining Brighton in 2012. He made 235 appearances there over seven years, then moved into coaching with the Seagulls after retiring in 2019. Since then, he’s picked up experience at Chelsea and West Ham.

Along with Saltor’s appointment, Spurs also announced some departures. Justin Cochrane, John Heitinga, and Chris Haslam are all leaving the coaching staff after Frank’s exit. The club thanked them for their efforts and wished them well.

GLASNER OUT? CRYSTAL PALACE CONSIDERING IMMEDIATE EXIT FOR BOSS AFTER DISMAL EUROPEAN DRAW

Oliver Glasner’s exit is imminent! Discover why Robbie Keane has emerged as the favorite to lead Crystal Palace out of crisis.

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Odds crash on Robbie Keane becoming the next Crystal Palace manager.

Oliver Glasner was supposed to stick around at Crystal Palace until the end of the season. That was the plan, anyway. But after another rough run of results, his exit could come a lot sooner.

Thursday night in Bosnia should’ve been nothing special, just a routine first leg against a team Palace should handle easily, with the real test back at Selhurst Park next week. Instead, a 1-1 draw against Zrinjski Mostar turned into another mess in a season that’s gotten uglier by the week for Glasner and Palace.

The travelling fans didn’t hide how they felt.

Palace have only managed one win in their last 15 games. That’s not a blip; it’s a full-on collapse, and it looks like Glasner’s time might be up even faster than everyone thought.

People at the top of the club have started openly asking if letting Glasner finish out his contract is actually hurting more than helping. He said back in January that he’d leave when his deal was up in the summer, but with results falling off a cliff and morale at rock bottom, those discussions have picked up speed.

Word is, Palace have already started looking for Glasner’s replacement, planning for a summer hire. But now, it looks like they might bring in his successor right away.

One name has shot straight to the top of the list: Robbie Keane.

TalkSPORT’s Alex Crook says Palace are considering Keane as a short-term fix if Glasner goes before the season ends. Keane’s reputation has soared lately. He won the Israeli Premier League with Maccabi Tel Aviv, then took the Hungarian league title in his first season at Ferencváros.

His win rate at Maccabi was over 73 per cent. He’s also done time as an assistant coach at Leeds and Middlesbrough. People who’ve played for him, like Ireland’s Callum O’Dowda, rave about him. O’Dowda said, “As soon as he opens his mouth, you want to listen. It’s phenomenal, really. On the coaching side,e he has been good.”

For now, Keane is still in charge at Ferencvaros, who are still in the Europa League, so prying him away won’t be simple.

Palace sit 13th in the Premier League, eight points clear of the relegation zone, but that gap feels less safe with every week they fail to win.

Tottenham even considered Keane as an interim manager before they went with Igor Tudor.

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