Anthony Gordon hopes his next Premier League memento comes in the form of a hat-trick matchball – after the Everton forward was presented with a keepsake to recognise his first appearance in the competition.

Gordon, who celebrates his 19^th birthday today, played the second 45 minutes of Everton’s 1-1 draw at West Ham United last month.

He admits that taste of mixing with “top players” in front of nearly 60,000 people is serving as further motivation to press for more action.

Gordon has been training with Everton’s first-team since reporting back for pre-season last summer and after featuring in December’s Carabao Cup quarter-final against Leicester City was handed his league debut the following month.

The teenager helped Everton deliver a second-half performance against West Ham manager Carlo Ancelotti viewed as a significant improvement on what happened before the break.

“It is a long time to play on your debut, you have more chance to make an impression on the manager and fans and it is what you dream of,” Gordon told evertontv.

“It gives you a taste for more. I went on and saw how good it was: the atmosphere and playing in front of so many people and playing alongside and against top Premier League players I used to watch on TV.

“Now I want to be consistent and get in the team and get more minutes.

“I was visualising the game [before coming on] and wanted to get myself into it as quickly as I could.

“There is nothing much going through your mind, though. Your adrenaline is going through the roof.”

Gordon credited the guidance of fellow Academy alumnus Tom Davies and forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin for helping him instantly feel at ease on the field at West Ham.

And he insists a desire to eventually “match” Calvert-Lewin and strike partner Richarlison is underpinning his commitment to daily overtime at USM Finch Farm.

Gordon arrived to collect his award – the Premier League gifted Gordon a special edition football to celebrate his landmark day at the Hammers' London Stadium – straight from completing additional drills following training.

“I have to [do extra]… to match the likes of Dom and Richarlison,” said Gordon.

“They are top finishers, two top players in the Premier League and on great runs of form.

“They have both scored a lot of goals this season and I am just trying to match what they do.

“Training with the first team has helped a lot with my progress.

“I never realised how hard it would be.

“I always thought I would have the ability, if I just matched it with the work rate.

“But there is so much more ability I have gained from being round those players, the speed of play, the combination play.

“Your whole game improves when you are playing with such good players.

“I will keep working hard, the same as always.

“The harder I work, the easier it will get.”

Gordon, who joined Everton aged 11, has developed at a rate of knots since establishing himself in manager David Unsworth’s double-winning Under-23 team in the closing months of last season.

He exploded from the blocks this term, scoring seven goals in 12 starts for Unsworth’s side before featuring in Everton's cup encounter with Leicester.

But while Gordon concedes his Premier League souvenir – which he’ll store alongside a growing memorabilia haul at home – is a nice nod to his progress to date, he is already eyeing bigger prizes down the line.

“You don’t sit down and think that [how far you’ve come] yourself,” said Gordon.

“That is for other people to think, ‘Look how far he’s come’.

“I just keep my head down and keep training as best as I can.

“I hope so [the next ball is for scoring a treble].

“That would be the best one, a hat-trick in the Premier League.”

He continued: “To look at things like this [debut ball], and the tops I can frame, it’s good to see where I was and where I am now but I can only go further.

“I have quite a big bedroom so I can try to fit the ball in there somehow… and put it with all my other memorabilia.”