However, the Nigerian has been operating on the right side of midfield in recent weeks, and Moyes says: "He has a bit of ability around his feet. He'll never be renowned as a scorer of lots and lots of goals but he can create goals and we want him to do that.

"But if he scores goals like he did against Birmingham, then great. He should score more goals because he has the ability to do so."

Recalling the uncertainty surrounding Anichebe's future shortly before his serious injury last year, Moyes adds: "We wouldn't have allowed him to go. I still had a lot of hope that Victor would come through because he has a lot of good attributes.

"It was down to whether Victor was going to show them and show the attitude to raise his game and play, and I think he has done that. There have been a couple of games where maybe he has felt a bigger part of things here now.

"I still class him as one of the young boys. He is just above the youngest ones, he's in among the 21 and 22-year-olds.

"We need these young boys, we need the homegrown players such as Victor. There aren't many homegrown talents around and he comes into this.

"Victor now has to show that he is good enough to play and be a part of Everton going forward.

"It's very much up to him. His performance and training will dictate that. We will see how he goes. There is no guarantee for any of them. He can play through the middle and off the side for us now at times.

"He has become more versatile for us and playing off the side has eased his burden at times. I don't know if that will be his position all the time but it suits us at this present time.

"I keep saying that sometimes people don't realise how lucky they are until they eventually leave. We want to give Victor every opportunity to prove he can be an Everton player."