Carlo Ancelotti must axe Tom Davies from the Everton starting line-up to face Liverpool in this Saturday’s Merseyside Derby, with Allan, who cost £21.7m in the summer, expected to be fit.

The Toffees were forced to tackle their last Premier League fixture without Allan as a result of the Brazilian sustaining a groin injury during their resounding 4-1 victory over West Ham United in the Carabao Cup.

But Allan is now already in line to make his return after missing just one fixture thanks to the timing of the international break, per the Liverpool Echo, with Ancelotti believing the £21.7million summer signing should be “100 percent ready” to face Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Allan has thrived since his summer switch from SSC Napoli, with Ancelotti tasking the 5 ft 8 midfielder with holding down the defensive duties in the engine room for each of the Blues’ opening three Premier League fixtures, prior to his enforced absence.

The 9-cap Brazilian has shown to be worth every pent spent on his signature in those outings by doing the dirty work to prevent Tottenham Hotspur scoring, relentlessly closing down West Bromwich Albion’s players and growing in stature against Crystal Palace as the Eagles sought an equalising goal.

Those performances were so impressive that Allan remains Everton’s most-productive player in terms of tackles despite missing the Brighton & Hove Albion affair, with his 12 enough to edge Richarlison (11), Lucas Digne (10) and Seamus Coleman (9), per SofaScore.

Allan likewise charts highly for ground duels won (19) in third behind offensive dynamos Richarlison (40) and James Rodriguez (24) and for accurate passes in the opponent’s half (65) in fifth.

Davies would be the most at-risk player of missing out on Saturday’s Merseyside Derby should Allan be deemed 100 per cent fit, as Ancelotti expects, having deputised for the Brazilian against Brighton.

The Liverpool-born midfielder performed admirably against the Seagulls so would find it a bitter pill to swallow to now be benched once again, but his display did not suggest that Allan would be the wrong selection against Klopp’s Premier League champions.

Davies mostly stood-out against Brighton for not making any needless errors in the defensive role, by ensuring he was often in the right place at the right time before slotting in at right-back following Seamus Coleman’s injury.

The £14.4m-rated man’s efforts were reflected as such in making three tackles, five interceptions, one block and winning three of five ground duels, per SofaScore, but should still be aware that Allan is the prime candidate to sit in front of the backline if and when fit.

AND in other news, a £90k-p/w Everton ace offered an ineffective cameo appearance during the October international break.