If Everton manager Ronald Koeman thought his team was still lacking some creativity going into the new season, he would have been delighted when the Toffees completed the £45m club-record signing of Gylfi Sigurdsson from Swansea City on August 16.

However, it hasn't quite been the start to the season for the Iceland international – or indeed the team – that the Dutchman would have been expecting, and he finds himself under huge pressure with his side 16th in the Premier League table and having taken just one point from the six available in their Europa League group as we head into the international break.

One of the main problems for Koeman has been finding a formation that suits summer additions like Sigurdsson, Davy Klaassen, Wayne Rooney and Sandro Ramirez, and that has proven to be a big issue so far.

Despite being such a key man for the Swans previously, Sigurdsson has struggled to make an impact with the Merseyside outfit so far but it certainly hasn't helped that he has often been pushed out to the left-hand side – as he was in the 1-0 defeat against Burnley at Goodison Park on Sunday.

Here are three reasons Koeman must play the 28-year-old in the number 10 role to save his job…

He is less effective out wide

While Sigurdsson did often found himself playing on the left wing last season when Swansea adopted a 4-3-3 formation following Paul Clement’s arrival at the club and the performances of Fernando Llorente up top, the Iceland international was still most effective when he played through the middle.

According to Transfermarkt, the 28-year-old scored four goals and provided a further six assists in 16 appearances in all competitions in a central attacking midfield role in the 2016/17 campaign, and it is a mystery to many Everton fans that he has barely played through the middle for the Merseyside outfit this term.

Considering he picked up his first assist of the season in the 2-2 draw against Apollo Limassol when he was playing more of an inside role, it should give Ronald Koeman an indication of what needs to happen next.

He suits the role more than Rooney and Klaassen

In the opening weeks of the season it appeared as though Ronald Koeman was trying to fit the trio of Sigurdsson, Wayne Rooney and Davy Klaassen into his starting line-up in a 4-2-3-1 formation after signing the trio during the summer transfer window, but it was clear that it wasn't working as all three players would say that they prefer to operate through the middle.

While Rooney is a Premier League legend and Klaassen had a fantastic record in the Netherlands with Ajax last season, you can't help but feel that the fact that Sigurdsson is proven in the number 10 role in the Premier League means that he should be starting centrally every week – especially with none of the trio making especially impressive starts to the campaign.

He can score and create with both feet

Ok, so he missed a couple of good openings against Burnley on Sunday but while Sigurdsson is predominantly right-footed, the fact that he has scored 10 of his 42 Premier League goals with his left during his top-flight career shows the versatility that he can bring to the position.

When you are in the number 10 role and arriving late in the box it is certainly helpful to have a player that is comfortable using either foot, and playing centrally could also allow the Iceland international to find his shooting boots from outside the area – something that we have seen from the 28-year-old on more than one occasion in recent seasons.

Do you agree, Everton fans? Let us know below.