"Gerard Deulofeu, he's magic you know" was ringing around the Riverside Stadium on Tuesday night as the Spaniard stole the show once again as Everton beat Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup.
Deulofeu has become one of Everton's stand-out performers this season, since returning to Goodison Park from Barcelona in the summer for a fee of around £4 million.
Deulofeu flourishing since returning to Goodison Park
Deulofeu was seen as surplus to requirements at Barcelona when he was sent on loan to the Toffees in 2013. He made 29 appearances for the Blues, scoring four goals and creating another five.
Last season he endured a frustrating loan spell at Sevilla, with most of his 28 appearances coming from the bench.
However, he appears to have learnt from his frustrating time at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium and put it behind him. Since returning to Goodison Park in the summer he has flourished, making 16 appearances in all competitions, assisting 10 goals and scoring a further three.
Assist master
Teasing crosses, defence splitting through-balls and the ability to create a chance from nothing has seen Deulofeu become Everton's most creative spark so far this season and the club's assist master.
Despite not starting his first Premier League match this season until September 28, he is already second in the league assists table with seven, behind Arsenal's Mesut Ozil (11).
However, that statistic only tells half the story, because the Spaniard was also the last Everton player to touch the ball in moves that created the Merseyside Derby equaliser for Romelu Lukaku and Ross Barkley's opening goal against Aston Villa.
Lukaku celebrates his goal against Middlesbrough. (Image; Getty Images)
Furthermore, Deulofeu has taken his form into the Capital One Cup, where he has recorded three assists, including against Middlesbrough on Tuesday.
His assist against Boro highlighted Deulofeu's talent and ability. He produced a series of stepovers to leave Fernando Amorebieta in his wake, before delivering a cross that Lukaku headed home.
Although he endured a frustrating spell in La Liga last season, he still showcased his creative talent, recording 10 assists at Sevilla.
Devastating partnership with Lukaku
Everton's attacking play has excited Evertonians, with the Blues scoring 16 goals in their last five games, and the Toffees had chances to extend their winning margin against Middlesbrough.
A key ingredient to their strong goalscoring record has been Deulofeu's partnership with Romelu Lukaku. Deulofeu once again combined with the Belgian to devastating effect against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night. Deulofeu delivered the cross that provided the assist for Lukaku for the sixth time this season.
Lukaku is the type of player that, given the chances that Deulofeu creates and the delivery he is capable of putting into the box, he can punish the opposition by clinically converting them. That was evident in Everton's second goal against Boro, as Deulofeu's cross was just behind Lukaku, but he had the quality to guide the ball past Tomas Mejias.
He knows how to score too
Deulofeu cannot only supply the goals, but he can also score them too, with him scoring three goals so far this season.
He had to wait until November to score his first Premier League goal of the season in Everton's 6-2 victory over Sunderland. Deulofeu showed great composure to slide the ball under Costel Pantilimon and into the back of the net, after being played through by Arouna Kone.
His other two goals this season have come in the League Cup against Reading and Middlesbrough.
Deulofeu showed his ability from a dead-ball situation, when his curling 30-yard free-kick beat Reading goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi to score his first goal since returning to Goodison Park.
Then against Middlesbrough, he showed his individual brilliance to score Everton's opening goal. The Spaniard picked the ball up just inside Middlesbrough's half, before beating two defenders and placing a brilliant low finish past Tomas Meijas and into the bottom corner.
Deulofeu scores Everton's opening goal against Middlesbrough. (Image: Getty Images)
He showed great vision and technique to find the bottom left corner, as it didn't seem the logical thing to do given the angle with which the winger faced the goal. But that is what Deulofeu is capable of.
He also scored five goals for Spain's under-21 side in the most recent international break, including a hat-trick against Georgia in a 2017 European Under-21 Championship qualifier.
A different option
Deulofeu's pace and directness gives Everton a different dimension and something that they have been lacking over recent season.
The 21-year-old has replaced Kevin Mirallas in the starting line-up and, whereas Deulofeu has created 12 goals this season, the Belgian provided just two assists throughout the whole of last season and only one of those came in the Premier League.
However, Mirallas has been the Blues biggest scoring threat from midfield in recent seasons, scoring nine, eight and 11 times in the last three seasons.
However, with Lukaku leading the line and Ross Barkley behind him, the role of the wingers now appears to be providing service for the two in the middle, rather than trying to do it all yourself.
He feels at home
Sometimes players and clubs just fit and the player plays better than he ever has before, and Deulofeu certainly enjoys the affection he receives at Goodison Park. From a manager who will put his arm around his shoulder to supporters that sing his name from the stands.
The love and affection that he receives at Everton is different to his previous clubs. He was seen as surplus to requirements at Barcelona and reports suggested he fell out with Sevilla boss Unai Emery when he was on loan at the La Liga club last season.
Deulofeu has become a fans favourite at Everton. (Image: Getty Images)
However, Deulofeu is a player that Roberto Martinez was keen on bringing back to Goodison Park after he forged a close relationship with the player during their season together.
Deulofeu has said that Everton feels like home and he turned down more lucrative offers to return to Merseyside.
He has a bright future but will it be at Everton?
Still only 21, but his talent is frightening, he has already shown that he is capable of causing any full-back a nightmare, and he appears to be a young player who is going to continue to get better.
During his loan spell at Everton in the 2013/14 campaign, he created three assists - a total he had overhauled this season by November 1 - and scored four goals - he is already one goal off matching that total this season.
Perhaps the biggest challenge Everton are going to face over the next few years will be keeping the Spaniard; if the winger keeps up this form then a number of clubs will be chasing the player, including his former club, Barcelona.