“How can you watch this every week?” That was the jibe was aimed at Everton twice on the south coast in January.

First it came in jest as the Blues failed to muster a single shot on target in the miserable defeat at Bournemouth, what would prove to be Sean Dyche’s final game in charge.

Then, last week, at Brighton and Hove Albion, it came in anger and frustration as the home fans bemoaned their defeat to a stubborn David Moyes side that left the Amex with three points and a clean sheet despite suffering two serious injuries.

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At Brighton, it was a question aimed at Everton staff in the media box as home supporters filed past after the final whistle.

The question was again directed towards reporters on Saturday but this time in very different spirits. As home supporters lingered in the Goodison Park stands to reflect on an enjoyable, emphatic 4-0 win over Leicester City, it was posed ironically as fans and journalists shared a smile over the recent transformation of Everton Football Club and the change in fortunes that has followed.

Supporters off their seats as magic Iliman Ndiaye sparks excitement

One player who has tried to give Everton supporters something to get excited about - even amid the tough opening months of this season - is Iliman Ndiaye. The summer signing has dazzled even on the darkest of nights and is already a fan favourite with his own song and a highlights reel that includes wonderful finishes at Ipswich Town and Manchester City.

Ndiaye was on song again on Saturday and there were times when he was so good that it was - literally - very difficult to watch him.

This included a moment of magic in the second half when he held off and spun away from three Leicester players as he continued to torment them before his late goal. Reporters only knew what had happened because of the TV monitors as, not for the first occasion yesterday or this season, Ndiaye caused people to jump from their seats to their feet to glimpse a player who is setting imaginations alight.

The seagull celebration will not be forgotten

His goal against Leicester was one of the most straightforward, and bizarre, he will ever score. With the game over and the visitors still shellshocked from the two goals in six first half minutes that ended this match as a contest, the away defence parted for Ndiaye. A mix of poor passes, half-hearted challenges and misjudgements allowed him to drift into the box and slot past Mads Hermansen, who punched the grass in anger at the collapse he had witnessed in front of him.

It was a third goal in three weeks for Ndiaye, who caused controversy last week when he celebrated at Brighton by flapping his arms like a seagull, the south coast club’s mascot.

For all the fury it incited in the opposition supporters last week, it is a moment that is becoming iconic for Everton and there were nods to it around Goodison on Saturday afternoon, where one supporter even spent the game holding aloft a cuddly seagull teddy dressed in an Everton kit.

Beto enjoys the support of an unofficial hype-man

After the match, attention turned to Beto as he received the adulation of the home crowd on an afternoon that saw him score twice. He could well have won a penalty in the first half, when Jannik Vestergaard bundled him over in the box.

As he pumped his fist to the Gwladys Street, Beto was not alone as Idrissa Gueye danced around him, playing the role of cheerleader-in-chief. Gueye is a significant figure in the Everton dressing room and has been an influence and inspiration for the likes of Arnaut Danjuma, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Amadou Onana and Iliman Ndiaye.

His effort to hype Beto after what could be a breakthrough moment was another example of the senior role he holds within the squad and his willingness to push others into the spotlight when they deserve the plaudits.

And he searches for a familiar face in the crowd

Meanwhile, while some wanted Beto to take the credit he deserved, the striker was also keen to share his big moment with others. After his second goal he could be seen pointing into the crowd amid his celebrations. Asked whether this was a nod to the management team that had given him a chance, he responded after the match: “No, no, to [Orel] Mangala. He told me he would be in the stands, and I tried to point to him because he told me at Finch Farm that if I scored, to point to him.”

Mangala's season was ended at Brighton, when he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in a second half incident with Joel Veltman. Mangala may have been unavailable but later shared images of Beto and Ndiaye celebrating their goals, as well as a picture of him smiling at Goodison while holding an Ndiaye scarf.

David Moyes urges caution but cannot stop all of the celebrations

After the game, Moyes was more than happy to share the credit for a win that eases the relegation fears he insists must still be taken seriously. But another post-match press conference spent discussing a win following his return to the Goodison hotseat did not stymie all of the celebrations, even with his pronouncements that the priority remains ensuring Everton stay in the Premier League.

As Moyes spoke, his thoughts were shared to the backdrop of a loud rendition of ‘happy birthday’ from one of the lounges behind the media suite. The party was in full swing back there.