Struggling Everton midfielder Tom Davies failed to take his chance to show Marco Silva that he can be a consistent starter in his lineup as he put in a dismal performance against Lincoln in the FA Cup third round.

What's the word, then?

Since bursting onto the scene as an exciting, determined box-to-box midfielder, who played as if he'd been in the Toffees' team for years, 20-year-old Davies has tailed off somewhat.

The 5ft 11in tall Everton academy graduate made his first start for the club in the 2016/17 season, and ended the campaign with the club's 'Goal of the Season' award as well as the 'Performance of the Season' award under his belt, with both accolades coming as a result of his showing in a 4-0 over Manchester City.

Whether or not he simply did too much, too soon, is up in the air, but something has happened which has resulted in Davies' career stagnating somewhat - his ineffective performance against the League Two leaders summed up his situation.

What was so bad about it?

Whilst the youngster didn't have a complete shocker in terms of falling over himself and scoring own goals, he was disappointing against a side who he really should be bossing affairs against.

The fact he has made just six starts in the league this season and lost his place to new arrival Andre Gomes meant that Davies needed to take his chance against Lincoln.

He was substituted on the 46-minute mark for the aforementioned Gomes with the scoreline a tense one, as Everton had just a 2-1 lead to cling onto. Notably, the fact that Silva threw in the Portuguese midfielder when the going got tough shows that he has no faith in Davies, who some fans think is exempt from criticism thanks to his status as an academy player as well as a local lad.

Davies won't get many better chances to show that he should be a more regular fixture in the former Watford boss' lineup - he will just have to hope for an injury to either Idrissa Gueye or Gomes, or hope that the Toffees draw another minnow in the next round. It certainly isn't looking good for the midfielder regardless.