Fan View: Why Starting Tom Davies Regularly Could Ignite Everton's Spluttering Season

Tom Davies may believe that he needs to "prove" himself worthy of a place in Everton's starting lineup, but Evertonians don't think he does.

After all, with 40 first-team appearances to his name already, the wonderkid midfielder is already a big part of Ronald Koeman's plans at Goodison Park.

His remarkable rise from youth team player to fully fledged Premier League star has been quite meteoric when you consider he only made his senior bow on the final day of the 2015/16 campaign, but there's no doubting his talent and desire to play for the shirt.

His enthusiasm, raw ability to perform the unexpected and driving run from midfield to support attacks have endeared him to the Blues' faithful - and it is those qualities which mean that Davies should be starting Everton matches during a troubling period of the season.

The Toffees' struggles since September's international break don't need the rule run over them for the umpteenth time, and plenty has been written about Koeman being under pressure due to the nature of his side's results.

Is it not time, then, to let Davies off the leash and give this Everton team a new lease of life?

True, it would be unwise to thrust all of Evertonian hopes onto the shoulders of such a young player, but his level headedness and willingness to run through brick walls for Everton could be crucial as they look to turn fortunes around on the pitch.

The Toffees have only lost one match in all competitions that Davies has started this term and, whilst he has had stints from the bench in other losses, Everton haven't conceded a single goal when he's entered the fray late on in games.

That is not to say that Davies is a player who darts around the field of play, crunching into tackles, setting up attacks and making goal-line clearances, but it cannot be a mere coincidence that his presence in the team makes Everton a better unit all round.

His versatility in being able to play anywhere across the midfield line - and even at right-back - allows Koeman the chance to switch his systems and personnel when required too, and would mean the Dutchman gets no grief for moving the England Under-21 international around to combat opposition forces.

With plenty of senior stars currently underperforming and results not going their way, Evertonians could do with a pick me up, some youthful exuberance and a never-say-die attitude.

Davies may be the one to add a chink of light in an otherwise dreary season so far, and could help to be the catalyst for a change in the air in L4.