Gylfi Sigurdsson says he is having to abandon his natural game in order to prove he has a future at Everton under Carlo Ancelotti.
Sigurdsson has been deployed in a deep-lying midfield role on several occasions since Ancelotti was appointed and has made no secret of his struggles in adapting to the new position.
The 30-year-old was Everton's joint top scorer and highest assist maker in the 2018-19 season as Marco Silva played a 4-2-3-1 formation in order to bring the best out of the club's record signing.
However, Ancelotti's preference for playing 4-4-2 has cast doubt over Sigurdsson's future at Everton with midfield reinforcements expected this summer, as the manager eyes Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure to add much needed "energy".
Sigurdsson has often been heavily criticised for his performances this season with Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville launching a stinging assessment of his display in the defeat to Spurs, last month.
The Iceland international says he hadn't heard what Neville said about him and is only interested in the opinion of Ancelotti who has been "happy" with his output.
But Sigurdsson admits he is having to work extremely hard - and resist to play in a way he has throughout his career - in order to keep his place in the side.
"I'm more comfortable playing there now, definitely," he said with a wry smile.
"But I've always said that it's completely different.
"When our wingers have got the ball and about to cross it I'm normally getting into the box and trying to score, but now I'm sitting back and trying to stop the other team from counter-attacking us..
"Sometimes I still want to get in the box but I've got someone like Mason saying 'stay, stay, stay'. It is completely different and you've got to think differently. My job at the moment is to try and start attacks, rather than finish them."
Sigurdsson, whose expertise from set-pieces helped salvage a 3-3 draw against Blackpool on Saturday, says Ancelotti has not spoken to him in any great length about playing in this new position.
"We haven't had a long discussion, it's just about the positioning and what he wants me to do, on and off the ball," he said.
"We haven't had a long conversation about this or that, it's 'play there' and I do it."
Asked if he thought there was any doubt over him staying at the club, with regular speculation about his future, Sigurdsson replied: "Not to me. The gaffer has been happy with me, obviously in a completely different role. I don't follow the news.
"What matters is the gaffer's opinion of me. If he's happy then I must be doing something right, if he's not happy with me then I've just got to train harder and do differently and what he wants, that's about it."
He concluded: "We've been training with both positions, as a No10 and as No8 and No6, a deeper one. We don't really talk too much about it. Wherever he wants me to play, I'll play there."
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