Tom Davies will use his head-turning performance in Everton’s rout of Manchester City as motivation to ensure he squeezes the most out of his blossoming career.
Davies’s effervescent midfield performance, in which he went toe-to-toe with Yaya Touré, was capped with a sublime goal as he announced himself to a wider audience in thrilling fashion.
The 18-year-old, who was overlooked by Everton after trials as an eight-year-old before being picked up from Tranmere Rovers four years later, put a marker down with Idrissa Gueye on Africa Cup of Nations duty with Senegal and £20 million signing Morgan Schneiderlin starting on the bench.
“Coming into the game, it was a test for me to see where I was as a player coming up against him [Touré],” said Davies, who is England Under-19 captain. “What it has shown me is that if I keep working hard I can reach the level they are at. To beat Manchester City 4-0 is unbelievable, really. I would never have dreamed I would be in a game or in a team where Manchester City have been beaten 4-0.”
There is something of a throwback in Davies, a nephew of Alan Whittle who won a league title with Everton in 1970. He wears his hair long and his socks slung low à la Steve Claridge. He celebrated the game of his life with a meal with his family and his agent.
Advertisement
“If I had a pound for the number of times I have told him to get his hair cut, have a shave and pull his socks up, I would be rich,” David Unsworth, the Everton Under-23 coach, said. “He just tells me I’m no longer young and I’m not a dude any more. If he carries on performing like that, he can do what he wants.
“For the first time since he has been in the first team, I saw what I would call a ‘normal Tom Davies performance’: all action, box to box, little bits of skill here and there, tough tackling. The goal that he scored, I have seen him score before.”
Davies, whose contract runs until 2021, is a flag bearer in many respects with Everton willing to cherry pick the best young talent from around the country in order to address any shortfalls in their academy system.
Mason Holgate, who also starred against City, Brendan Galloway and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have all been recruited, while the £7.5 million capture of 19-year-old Ademola Lookman from Charlton Athletic this month underlined the resources available under major shareholder Farhad Moshiri.
Davies intends to make the most of the faith shown by Ronald Koeman, the manager.
Advertisement
“You see the substitutes getting ready to come on and you think it could be you,” Davies said. “But he left me on and I am thankful. Hopefully I can keep performing as I have done and keep my place.”
