Everton have found themselves yet again struggling to hold onto a comfortable position in the Premier League and Frank Lampard will surely be spending the World Cup break trying to find solutions to his biggest problems on the pitch.

The Toffees have slipped into 17th in the league table after a string of poor performances in the top flight and are now just one point clear of the relegation zone ahead of their return to action after Christmas.

Only Wolverhampton Wanderers have found the back of the net on fewer occasions than Everton over the campaign so far - a problem the manager will have the opportunity to rectify when the transfer window re-opens next month.

However, the former Chelsea boss may already have the solution to the issue in the youth set-up at Finch Farm with Tom Cannon in the form of his career so far for the U21s.

The talented teenager featured in the Papa John's Trophy clash last night against Lincoln City in the knock-out round that saw Everton lose their place in the tournament after suffering a 4-2 defeat, however, Cannon was a stand-out performer for his team.

Over his 90-minute display, the 19-year-old scored one goal, registered one assist, delivered two key passes and tallied up a 90% pass completion rate, as well as completing 100% of his crosses.

It was a fabulous display from an offensive point of view but he also held his own from a defensive perspective, making one interception and winning two duels.

The performance against Lincoln wasn't a one-off for the youngster as Cannon has been a prolific and confident finisher for the U21s for some time - scoring 21 goals and registering five assists over 54 appearances with a goal involvement every 128 minutes.

Indeed, Cannon's talent hasn't gone unnoticed by Lampard who invited the young goal machine on the Australian tour last month, however, the manager will need to make a decision on the player's next steps and fast as other clubs are starting to take interest in the development of the striker.

The Republic of Ireland U20s international - who was dubbed "very talented" by sporting director Kevin Thelwell - has reportedly captured the attention of Sheffield Wednesday and Fleetwood Town with the two EFL clubs keen to secure the signing of Cannon in the January transfer window.

Although the idea of a loan spell could be hugely beneficial for the young player and his potential future the club, Lampard is in a position to promote Cannon to the first team with goals being too few and far between at Goodison Park.

With that being said, Lampard has a big decision to make on whether he allows the youth prospect to thrive on loan with another club or give him the opportunity to prove his worth in the Everton team.