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Leon Osman backs Ronald Koeman to improve Ross Barkley

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The midfielder is on a run of poor form for Everton at present.

Everton manager Ronald Koeman before the match

Former Everton midfielder Leon Osman has told BBC Sport that Ronald Koeman will make Ross Barkley a better player.

The Blues midfielder is under increasing pressure at Goodison Park after a slow start to the campaign.

Barkley’s lack of form has also found himself out of the England squad as both Sam Allardyce and Gareth Southgate have left him out of their recent selections.

That saw Koeman has already openly criticised him, saying that Barkley should look at himself as the cause of the omission.

Everton's Ross Barkley looks dejected after the game

And now his former teammate has offered his thoughts on the situation, telling BBC Sport that the 22-year-old has all the attributes in the world.

“Koeman, the way he is around the club, he won’t stand for inconsistency and will make him a better player,” Osman said.

“Consistency is decisions. The better decisions you make the more consistent you are. If you were designing a Premier League player it wouldn’t be far away from Ross Barkley. He has all the attributes in the world.”

Everton's Ross Barkley looks dejected

While his form may be in question at this moment in time, the debate on Barkley is fascinating given his career record.

So far he has more goals than Steven Gerrard had at the same age and more assists than Frank Lampard had managed.

Both of those players went on to become Premier League legends and perhaps it is time that Barkley was left to simply develop into the fine player that many believe he can become.

Ross Barkley celebrates scoring the third goal for Everton