Patrick Boyland reports that Vitalii Mykolenko has returned to Everton training
Everton left-back Vitalii Mykolenko has returned to training after missing the last two match squads with illness, reports The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland.
The January signing had featured at left wing back in Frank Lampard’s first game in charge against Brentford before being absent for the loss at Newcastle and then the victory over Leeds.
The lack of the Ukrainian, coupled with injuries to Yerry Mina and Ben Godfrey forced the new boss to abandon his 3-4-3 formation and set up in a 4-4-2 with right back Jonjoe Kenny playing on the left.
But the only senior left-back in the Toffees squad looks set to return to the fold after Boyland wrote on his personal Twitter account today (Wednesday February 16): “Vitalii Mykolenko back in Everton training”.
Difficult start to life
It has been a stop start beginning at Goodison for the £18million signing from Dynamo Kiev who has the unfortunate hurdle to get over of being representative of the Rafael Benitez era.
Mykolenko and Nathan Patterson were both signed by the previous manager shortly before he was sacked.
The left-back also has to overcome the fact that he was the replacement for Lucas Digne who, as well as being one of the stronger performers at Everton, was frozen out and sold to Aston Villa only days before the ex-Liverpool boss left, rendering the whole situation a significant waste.
And now having gone through a back issue and an illness in his short time on Merseyside already, it has been a rough start.
A significant price tag is never indicative of long-term involvement at Goodison as a long list of expensive flops can attest to.
But as the only recognised left-sided full back it would seem likely that he will get opportunities.
It just may not come immediately after the impressive showing from local boy Kenny in the excellent thrashing of Leeds United at the weekend.
In other Everton news, the manager has raved about the “perfect” stand-in.