“Playing For The Under-23s Taught Me A Lot About Life... It Made Me Stronger”

That work ethic, and strikes against Arsenal, Watford and Crystal Palace that have taken his tally to six goals in nine games, have turned Niasse into an unlikely Goodison cult hero.

That his absence from the UEFA Europa League squad and through suspension for the most recent two Premier League games, against Southampton and West Ham United, was met with such bitter disappointment by the Blues’ fanbase underlines the turnaround he has experienced. Chants of “Oumar, Oumar” now frequently ring around the Grand Old Lady.

He is feeding off that love and can’t wait to return to the fold when David Wagner and Huddersfield Town pay their first-ever Premier League visit this afternoon.

“I want to play, always,” says Niasse. “It is difficult for me, because for two seasons in a row I did not have a proper pre-season. But I am getting better and better in terms of fitness, and that is a good thing.

“I am happy to get goals and help my team. I know now I have to work harder and keep running. That is what you have to show as a player and a team.