Everton boss Marco Silva hailed Gylfi Sigurdsson after his screamer earned victory at Leicester.
The midfielder’s 30-yard strike secured a 2-1 win for the Toffees after Foxes skipper Wes Morgan had been sent off in the second half.
The defender was dismissed after two fouls on Richarlison, who had opened the scoring early.
Ricardo Pereira levelled before the break but sloppy Leicester were punished and deserved little from the game.
Silva said: “It was fantastic for Gylfi. His quality in that moment showed how good he is and the way he took the ball and shot was fantastic.
“I cannot talk to you about last season because I wasn’t here and it’s not fair but I know his quality.
“He’s playing a different role (to last season) and our style is completely different.
“He has worked to get ready for this, working in training with great intensity. It’s not just what he gives us with the ball but also what he is giving us without the ball.”
It completed back-to-back Premier League wins for Everton, who now sit three points off the top six, and Silva promised they will still improve.
“This is our image. It will be so in the future more and more, I don’t have doubts about that,” he said.
“But we have many things to do to keep improving.”
Richarlison converted Bernard’s centre in the seventh minute but, after Jamie Vardy had missed a fine chance, Pereira levelled after hitting Everton on the break.
The hosts improved in the second half, with Ben Chilwell shooting wide, but Morgan was dismissed for fouling Richarlison from behind having earned an earlier yellow for pulling him back.
It handed the initiative to Everton and Sigurdsson brilliantly turned James Maddison to find the top corner with 13 minutes left.
But Leicester boss Claude Puel felt the red card – Morgan’s second of the season – was harsh.
He said: “I didn’t see the replay to give my feeling but from the bench, a second yellow card was difficult to accept but that’s the referee’s decision. This changed the scenario of the game because we dominated a lot.
“If we look at the last red card (against Bournemouth), he did not deserve the second yellow.
“I didn’t re-watch the yellow card today but the second yellow at Bournemouth was never a foul. So we need to make the right analysis about this.”
Maddison, who was called up to England this week, was quiet but Puel backed him to show his class with the Three Lions.
He added: “We know his quality of course. I hope he can have significant time with the national team to show his quality. He can influence and organise a game, and play with different tempo.”
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