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Derby County have endured a mixed start to the season, with the Rams winning just three of their opening eleven matches, but also suffering just two defeats so far under Philip Cocu leaving them in 13th place in the table heading into the weekend.

One player whose form has perhaps mirrored Derby's in consistency so far this season has been midfielder Kieran Dowell, who arrived at the club on a season-long loan from Premier League side Everton.

That followed a loan spell with Sheffield United during the second half of last season, which saw the 22-year-old make 16 appearances for the Blades on their way to securing promotion.

Dowell's form during a temporary spell at Nottingham Forest in the 2017/18 campaign was very impressive, with the midfielder scoring nine goals and assisting four in 38 appearances for the Reds in 2017/18 season - the sort of form that suggests he could be a top Championship player.

However, Dowell's time at Derby so far is following a similar pattern to his time at Sheffield United, rather than Forest, with the midfielder failing to fully establish himself as a key member of Cocu's side so far.

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The 22-year-old did start the season as one of the first choice midfielders, and produced an encouraging performance on his debut in Derby's 2-1 win at Huddersfield Town, with the Everton loanee showing his ability to carry the ball forwards through midfield and pick out passes in the final third.

However, having started in all six of Derby's opening Championship matches, Dowell was dropped down to the bench after being subbed off during the Rams' 3-0 defeat at Brentford, following an anonymous display where he did not offer enough defensively, in a game where Cocu's men second best for most of the contest.

Since then, he has been an unused substitute for the Rams last five league games, with youth product Jason Knight preferred to him from the bench at times, which suggests Dowell is starting to fall alarmingly down the pecking order in the Rams' midfield.

This season represented an opportunity for the player to rediscover the impressive form he did at Nottingham Forest, and look to once again catch the eye of his parent club, but it is an opportunity that is currently being wasted.

It is vital that he starts finding his best form in the coming weeks if he is selected, otherwise he will face the prospect of wasting a year out on loan where he is not getting regular game time, which would seemingly end his chances of getting involved in Everton's first team in the future.