**Q: Do you still feel 19?**
Yeah, I’d say so. I think sometimes when I hear people say about how mature I am, I don’t really believe that! I don’t think they’ve seen the other side to me.
I think it’s important I just enjoy what have in this moment. I know that, hopefully, in a few years when I’ve had a long career, I’ll be looking back on this and wishing I was back to where I am now.
**Q: You must be delighted having the start to the season you’ve had, playing and starting every game and be able to show what you can do?**
Yes, but there’s definitely things I can improve on. I’m happy with where I’m at, but I definitely want to push on.
I want to improve on goals and assists and influencing games more. I know from playing football since I was young and being here since the age of four or five, I’ve seen different parts of my game and how I can draw it out more.
To do that in the best league in the world is difficult, and at times, you’ve got to respect that you’re playing with some of the best players in the world and coming against some of the best opposition.
But I think there are definitely more levels for me to go to. To do that, I have to do the basics wells, but also be myself, take risks and not be too bothered about not getting it right every time.
**Q: How is the manager helping you do that?**
He gives 100 per cent trust in me. I think the fact I’ve started every Premier League game this season shows that.
He’s someone who has been in the game a long time and has worked with some of the best English players to have come through. To have someone like that with so much experience and so much to learn from is really important.
The trust he’s shown in me, I’m really grateful for.
**Q: How demanding is he?**
Yeah, really demanding. I think sometimes I’ll come off and I think I’ve played better than what he thinks! But it’s a good relationship. He knows how to get the best out of me, how to push me. Hopefully, we can do really good things.
Sometimes that’s what you need, isn’t it? To keep your feet on the ground and I understand what you need to do to improve.
I think that’s almost part of Everton’s DNA – not getting too high and not getting too low. I think it’s a club that’s very demanding of hard work and staying ground – and he definitely applies that.
**Q: You’re someone who has been here a long time already – through the Academy and now the first team. In your opinion, what does it take to be an Everton player? And how does it differ to other clubs?**
It definitely takes a lot of hard work, especially in the tough moments. The city and the environment I grew up in, you had to find out for yourself – you were in the deep end.
You had to show your ability and show what you’re made of. I keep going back to it, but Everton’s a club where you have to do the basics very well first and foremost, then prove your quality.