Silva Provides Injury Update Ahead Of Brighton Clash

Marco Silva has welcomed the "good headache" he will have when it comes to picking his team for Everton's game against Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday, with Fabian Delph, Morgan Schneiderlin and Seamus Coleman all back in contention.

Defender Yerry Mina remains a doubt for the trip to the south coast, however, with the Colombia international fighting to overcome a knee problem he sustained in the final moments of last weekend's 2-0 win over West Ham United.

Delph and Schneiderlin have both trained fully at USM Finch Farm this week after missing the victory over the Hammers through injury, while Coleman returns from a one-match suspension.

Midfielder Jean-Philippe Gbamin remains a long-term absentee having undergone surgery on a damaged quadriceps muscle earlier this month. 

Asked about his selection options at his pre-match press conference on Thursday, Silva said: "[On Yerry] it's not such good news at the moment. Of course, we have two more days until the game, so let's see how he is tomorrow and on matchday as well.

"It's not a serious, serious injury but it's something that until now hasn't put Yerry ready to work with the team in a full session.

"[Delph and Schneiderlin] have worked until now full sessions with their teammates so they are both ready."


That Silva has been left with a series of decisions to ponder on the long trip down to the South Coast is a source of great encouragement to the Blues boss.

He made five changes to his starting line-up for the victory over West Ham, a team who were unbeaten in four on the road.

In the absence of Delph and Schneiderlin, the fit-again Andre Gomes turned in a man-of-the-match performance, working alongside the equally impressive Tom Davies as Everton commanded the centre of the park and created more shots on target than in any other game since Silva took charge.

World Cup winning Frenchman Djibril Sidibe also earned plaudits for the way he deputised for skipper Coleman on his full Premier League debut, while Brazilian winger Bernard broke the deadlock with a crafty finish on his recall to the starting XI. 

Theo Walcott, another to return to the fold, was unfortunate not to cap an industrious display when he clattered the crossbar with a half-volley from 25 yards.

"It's a good headache," said Silva. "It's what I want. When this happens and we achieve good results, when players get their chance and they perform well and help the team, it's a very good thing for me as a coach.

"I like to have these types of headaches. That means the players on the bench have the quality to play and are working hard to play. It's up to them to keep working and, after, you can have your plan for the match.

"In the last match we decided [to play] in one way and the team performed really well. Not just because we won the game, but the performance was of a really good quality... the mobility, pace, intensity in our game.

"It was a good week again, [we have] good competition and it will be up to me on Saturday to decide what the team is."

Should Mina fail to overcome his knee issue, it could fall to Mason Holgate to fill in at centre-half.

The 23-year-old has played just 19 minutes of top-flight football this term but has proven an adept inclusion on his two starts in the Carabao Cup.

Everton have so far overcome Lincoln City and Sheffield Wednesday in that competition and host Watford in the last 16 next Tuesday night.

"Mason is ready and prepared," said Silva. "He's showed me every single day that he's working hard to achieve and get his chance.

"He already did in two Carabao Cup matches. He did well, performed well and, in the game against Sheffield Wednesday, he did a very good game.

"I'm 100 per cent sure if he gets the chance he'll be ready to perform at his level because we believe in him."

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01:11 Thu 24 Oct 2019

SILVA ON MINA INJURY, DELPH AND SCHNEIDERLIN

Boss provides team news update ahead of trip to Brighton.