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Everton have hardly had the season the fans were surely hoping for after Marco Silva took the helm and the Toffees recruited three Barcelona players in the summer. A string of poor results have seen the Goodison Park outfit lose five of their last six and the pressure mount on their Portuguese manager.

The same problems seem to be cropping up time and time again and there is little doubt that they are underperforming. There have, though, been occasional bright-sparks provided by a select few, although there are also a couple of players who have flattered to deceive throughout the season.

So, who has improved and who has declined the most on Merseyside over the course of the campaign?

Most improved: Lucas Digne

Everton's Lucas Digne celebrates scoring their second goal v Watford

The Frenchman is one of very few players who can confidently say that their starting spot will be guaranteed beyond the summer and looks set to hold down the left-side of Everton's defence for the foreseeable future - a rapid turnaround after starting the season behind Leighton Baines in the pecking order.

The Toffees may have struggled to find a way through their opponents' defences in recent weeks but Digne is not for the want of trying - the former Barcelona man has attempted a league-high 197 crosses, while also chalking up three goals and as many assists in 24 league appearances.

Possessing a wicked left-foot, the left-back has even ousted Gylfi Sigurdsson from some set-piece duties and has frequently shown his lethality from dead-ball situations as he goes from strength to strength.

Far removed: Seamus Coleman

Everton's Seamus Coleman gestures a thumbs up during a pre-season match with Valencia

On the other side of the Toffees defence, Seamus Coleman is having a campaign to forget. The Irishman has regularly looked off the pace and has shown nothing but glimpses of the calibre of performance that have made him the first name on the Everton team sheet over the years.

Besides the obvious need for a winger and striker, Coleman's place looks most under threat if Everton decide to conduct another squad overhaul in the summer.

The Merseysiders were linked with a move for now-Leicester man Ricardo Pereira when he was still at Porto and, considering the impact the Portuguese has had at the King Power and the lacklustre figure cut by Coleman, they will surely rue their inability to win the race for his signature last year.

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