Evanilson scored his 100th career goal and took his Premier League assist tally for the season to four — already more than his previous two campaigns combined — as Bournemouth ended a six-game winless run with a 2-0 victory over Sunderland at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.

The Brazilian forward set up Marcus Tavernier’s opener with five minutes played, winning a physical battle with two defenders before threading a precise pass into the path of the winger. In the second half, he received a gift from the Sunderland defence, rounded the goalkeeper and finished compositely to register his third goal in three matches.

Bournemouth news: how Rose has changed how Evanilson plays

The contribution was a precise illustration of what Bournemouth boss Marco Rose identified before the season began. During pre-season, the BBC reported that the German manager saw Evanilson as a player capable of operating deeper, even as a number ten — a significant departure from the role he occupied under Andoni Iraola, who deployed him consistently as a reference centre-forward with a dynamic midfielder operating just behind.

Under Rose, the 25-year-old has considerably more freedom to drift from his central position and float into different areas of the pitch. Two of his four Premier League assists this season — against Manchester City and Everton — came from wide-right positions, played from well outside the penalty area. His freedom is most pronounced when Bournemouth play with two forwards, as in the wins over Chelsea and Sturm Graz.

The statistical shift is striking. Evanilson is averaging 36.9 touches per match in the current Premier League season according to Sofascore, compared to 23.3 in the previous campaign — an increase of over 13 per game. His heat map has expanded markedly to reflect the broader territory he now covers.

Rose underlined the impact after the defeat to Liverpool earlier in the season. ‘He offers many things to the team,’ the Bournemouth manager said. ‘He protects the ball, drops back to help us build and presses. His work-rate is truly extraordinary. And yes, when he drops deeper and plays further back, he remains a very good player. With his technical quality he can offer us a great deal.’

Bournemouth news: Tavernier and team-mates on Evanilson’s complete performance

Tavernier, the direct beneficiary of Sunday’s opening goal, was the most effusive in assessing the Brazilian’s contribution.

‘He showed the quality that he has,’ Tavernier said. ‘He is a brilliant player and very important for the team. He showed great composure and quality in the play for my goal. After that, all his hard work without the ball was rewarded with the second.’

The midfielder also highlighted what tends to go unnoticed when Evanilson’s contributions are discussed.

‘Everyone knows the quality Eva has with the ball at his feet — that is no secret,’ he said. ‘But sometimes what goes unnoticed is how hard he works when we do not have the ball. Today he chased down balls that looked lost, and we need him to maintain that level if we are to keep improving.’

Evanilson also caused Sunderland considerable difficulties beyond his two direct contributions. His run in behind the defence in the 16th minute drew a foul from Kevin Danso that resulted in the central defender’s red card, fundamentally altering the balance of the match.