Everton boss reveals how he's helped to improve Amadou Onana after starring form in midfield

Everton manager Sean Dyche has explained how he has helped to improve Amadou Onana following his recent upturn in form.

Onana, 22, has become a key figure in the Everton side at the base of midfield, allowing the likes of James Garner and Abdoulaye Doucoure to express themselves further up the pitch.

After what was a mixed debut campaign last season, he has certainly found his feet for club and country and he is starting to shine for the Toffees.

Not only has his overall defensive work improved, he's now averaging more than double successful long balls than he did last year and his 71.4% accuracy ranks him fourth in the Premier League behind the trio of Moises Caicedo, Thiago Silva and Rodri.

And Dyche has explained the steps they've taken on the training pitch to help him improve, claiming he has been 'putting the hard yards in' in recent months.

"I think he's maturing as a player." Dyche explained. "I think he's realized the defensive responsibility better, I think he's doing it better.

"I think he's seeing the game quicker, which I've spoken endlessly about to him and shown him some clips him and Jimmy, to be fair, you know, Gana [Gueye] is slightly different with his maturity.

"He sees things a bit quicker. And I spoken to Amadou and Jimmy about the importance of that positional sense whilst trying to allow him the freedom to play as well because they can both play.

"They're very good on the ball and I think there's more to come and then putting in the hard yards because they're the top midfield players historically have always covered the ground and I think he's improved without the mental aspect of it, just the literal basics of working really hard as a midfield player.

"Like I say, you've got Gana there with his experience rubbing off on him. Doucoure is slightly differently, playing the more advanced role. But there's a a good group, I think, of midfield players who can rub off on each other."