Dele Alli plays 78 minutes on his Besiktas debut following his loan move from Everton

Dele Alli was named in a starting XI for just the third time this year as he made his debut for Besiktas in their 3-1 win against Sivasspor.

The 26-year-old midfielder replaced Berkay Vardar in his new side's starting XI and played 78 minutes at the Vodafone Arena for the Turkish giants as they surpassed Gaziantep FK on goal difference to go top of the table.

The former Tottenham star - who joined Besiktas on loan from Everton last week - was then substituted with 12 minutes remaining and his side 3-0 up for Kerem Atakan Kesgin on Monday evening.

Besiktas striker Wout Weghorst - on loan from Championship side Burnley - was among the scorers for the home side, while Everton flop Cenk Tosun was a substitute for Valerien Ismael's side.

Alli's three starts in 2022 have been for a different club each time - namely Tottenham, Everton and Besiktas.

Last week he completed a season-long loan move to the Turkish side, who will pay £1.9million as a loan fee and can sign the 26-year-old permanently for £6m before January or for £8m next summer.

Alli, 26, is hoping to reignite his career after failing to make an impact at Goodison Park since his free transfer from Spurs in January.

Everton signed Alli as they battled relegation last winter in the hope he could rediscover the form that made him one of England's brightest prospects in his early career.

Alli had fallen down the pecking order at Spurs and dropped out of the reckoning for the national team.

Alli, who has 37 England caps, went on to make 11 appearances as the Toffees avoided the drop but did not score. He had also appeared twice as a substitute this season.

Everton manager Frank Lampard last week warned Alli he is at risk of watching his career go to ruins if he does not find the same focus that made him one of the game's best young stars.

Just four years ago Alli was a key member of Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad, scoring in the quarter-final win over Sweden and had twice been named PFA Young Player of the Year.

Lampard said: 'I do have great empathy for the trajectory of his career in a sense because it is clear to see. I don't have to dress that up in any way.

'Having worked closely with him for a period I have to say he really does need to understand the relation of training and focus to what that means to performance at the highest level.

'It's not just the Dele story, I would say that to any player because it's the only thing I know. I wasn't a saint, but I know what training can do and focus can do, and that's something he really has to take on board.'