Everton can unearth their own Vardy in 19 y/o who "does the hardest thing in the game" - opinion

With Frank Lampard trying to help Everton turn a corner this season in the Premier League, one thing the new Toffees boss will certainly be pleased about is the progress being made by some of his club’s brightest young talents.

It’s been an area where the Merseyside club have somewhat struggled to bring through in recent years, but one teenager who is delivering on some of the hype at academy level, is Tom Cannon.

The 19-year-old striker was a prolific goal-scorer for the club’s U18s, scoring a whopping 29 goals in 42 games and also providing a further nine assists too.

Since the step-up to the U23s, things have been a bit more slow-going however, with just the eight in his 33 games at that level.

However, Cannon has shown signs of finding his feet in recent weeks, including notching twice in a 2-0 win over Derby County on Monday night.

Speaking after his brace, U23s boss David Unsworth raved about the kind of development Cannon has enjoyed recently.

He said: “We all know about Tom’s goalscoring, he does the hardest thing in the game, he puts the ball in the back of the net. We just need to get the other areas of his game up to speed and he’s done so well this year.

“He’s developed at a really fast rate and we’re all delighted for him.”

Unsworth’s verdict on Cannon makes for promising reading for Lampard, and the youngster’s style of play certainly makes him a different option to the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison in the senior team.

A player profile done by The Liverpool Echo back in the summer of 2020 revealed: “Due to his willingness to run in behind, play on the shoulder of defenders and work between the lines, comparisons to Leicester City forward Jamie Vardy have been drawn.”

While Lampard may be