Former Liverpool player and manager Graeme Souness has not held back in his criticism of Everton midfielder Ross Barkley.

The 23-year-old has come under the microscope plenty of times this season, particularly from his own manager Ronald Koeman.

During a spell earlier in the season, Barkley struggled to cement a starting spot, with Koeman publicly claiming that his midfielder needed to improve.

After bursting onto the scene as a youngster at Goodison Park, there was plenty of promise around Barkley, but it is clear that he has not yet fulfilled his potential for club or country.

That is not to say that the England international has been poor this season, as he has contributed with four goals and seven assists in 29 Premier League appearances.

He was not quite as influential in last weekend’s Merseyside derby, and he was lucky not to get sent off for a poor tackle on Liverpool defender Dejan Lovren.

While speaking to Newsweek, Souness claimed that Koeman has made the right approach in publicly challenging Barkley this season.

“He would frustrate you because, looking at someone like him, you’re thinking he could be a real player. He’s 23 now and he’s not grasping it quick enough and I would be the exact same as Ronald Koeman.

“I think he’s a young man who has a certain type of ability: He’s got athleticism, a big powerful man. But I see his decision-making as very poor and that is something you can only get through training every day and wanting to learn from the better players. That’s how you improve your decision-making.”

https://video.footballfancast.com/video-2015/shaw-coleman.mp4