Be it by luck, design or via the sheer exuberance of youth, Everton earned their most unlikely and perhaps their most impressive point of the Premier League season on Thursday.
With 12 senior players missing, the Toffees were able to snatch a 1-1 draw at Chelsea, with Jarrad Branthwaite's guided finish giving Everton's travelling support something overdue to savour.
Branthwaite was one of a number of surprise selections on the night, with Ellis Simms and Jonjoe Kenny also impressing alongside the likes of Anthony Gordon and second-half substitute Lewis Dobbin.
While Rafael Benitez may have turned to youth out of necessity or with future games in mind, the nature of the point and the showings of some young players brought in from obscurity will give the manager a lot to ponder.
With Everton's clash with Leicester City on Sunday postponed, here is a look at what Thursday's result could mean for the Boxing Day trip to Burnley....
PLAYER RATINGS: Anthony Gordon, Jarrad Branthwaite and two others superb vs Chelsea
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Branthwaite jumps up the pecking order
Given his lengthy injury layoff early last season and subsequent loan to Blackburn Rovers, Branthwaite has faded into the back of the minds of Evertonians after his impressive breakthrough in 2020.
Thursday night reignited the excitement felt when the youngster made his initial Premier League bow.
Onlookers at the Bridge would not only have been shocked by the fact he is just 19 years old, but also that he was making his first Premier League appearance of the campaign
The composure, aggression and assertiveness on display were traits at odds with what you would expect from an undercooked youngster.
It was a display that should give Benitez a lot to ponder in defence, in terms of both personnel and system.
Branthwaite's ability with both feet makes him an ideal candidate to play on the left of a back three.
However, the erratic nature of Mason Holgate's performances this season and the incessant injury problems endured by Yerry Mina mean that even if Everton revert to a four-man defence against Burnley, the former Carlisle United prospect should continue getting chances.
Gordon to get a run
Anthony Gordon's Everton career felt on a knife edge ahead of the current campaign. So it's to his credit he now looks like a thoroughbred Premier League player.
While the winger will ultimately be judged on goals and assists in the future, he has shown the manager he doesn't need to be carried against the best sides in the league.
For a coach like Benitez, who demands defensive output from all members of his squad, that's a vital attribute to have established.
With Andros Townsend sidelined due to injury and lacking form as of late, the time feels right to give Gordon a run in the side over the Christmas period.
The youngster said he felt like a 'superstar' against Chelsea after hearing the fans chant his name. Both he and the team should look to ride that swell of confidence.
Simms and Dobbin make point
While there were clearly raw aspects to both Simms and Dobbin at Chelsea, neither player looked out of their depth against one of Europe's best defensive sides.
Dobbin in particular was able to cause problems with his movement when introduced and that vibrant cameo should at least give Benitez more belief that the youngster can be a positive force when introduced from the bench.
Given his contract set to expire at the end of the season, it would appear Dobbin's future is in doubt at Goodison Park.
With Richarlison injured and Dominic Calvert-Lewin still not ready to return, more minutes on the pitch will surely help with any negotiations and based on Thursday's cameo, Dobbin can potentially help the team too.
