Micah Richards believes Tom Davies is starting to show his ability at Everton under Carlo Ancelotti.
The midfielder has started the last two matches - a 3-3 draw with Manchester United in the Premier League and the dramatic 5-4 FA Cup win over Tottenham Hotspur in midweek - and enjoyed standout performances in each.
Richards believes that perfectly epitomises the growth that Davies has displayed since he burst onto the scene with his brilliant performance against Manchester City in 2017.
The former Manchester City and England defender believes if Ancelotti regularly picks the academy graduate it says all you need to know.
Richards told his Daily Mail column : "Tom Davies announced himself to the British football public with a man-of-the-match performance and a goal for Everton in January 2017 during a 4-0 win over Manchester City.
"He was only 18 and it was surely a day he will never forget but, in some ways, it was also a curse for him.
"Those with only a passing interest in Everton would have wondered why he wasn't repeating those efforts every week. His own fans — who demand so much from local players — would have expected it to be the norm.
"Football doesn't work that way, particularly for teenagers. Davies had a lot of growing up to do to cope with the Premier League, and he also had to deal with a lot of scrutiny, with some critics saying he was more bothered about fashion because of his unconventional dress sense.
"But he's put his head down and worked and I was delighted to see Davies play so well in the draw against Manchester United and then again against Tottenham in the FA Cup fifth round this week.
"Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti knows everything about football. For him to be picking Davies in his midfield tells you everything you need to know about Tom's ability."
