Frank Lampard delivers injury update on Everton duo ahead of Newcastle clash
Everton will be without Fabian Delph and Yerry Mina for the upcoming Premier League clash against Newcastle.
The Toffees will be looking to bounce back to winning ways when they take on Magpies at Goodison Park on Thursday (17 March) in what is seen as a must-win game for the home side.
Ahead of the match, Frank Lampard has insisted that Dominic Calvert-Lewin has only returned to light training after he missed the previous game with illness, while Mina is still some weeks away from returning to action.
However, the Toffees boss is impressed with the progress shown by the Colombian defender in training.
Fabian Delph is another player who could be available after the international break.
“Delph we’re hoping the other side of the international break. With a bit of luck we’ll integrate him into training during that period,” said Lampard, as quoted by Liverpool Echo.
“Mina is still a few weeks away at best. So that one is slightly parked but he’s working very, very hard. It’s good to see.
“Dom trained lightly yesterday (Tuesday) on the back of not feeling great. We’ll see how he is this afternoon and then look toward the squad for tomorrow.
“Anyone who’s had that sort of thing (illness), when it’s your profession to be on the edge and the limit physically, that’s why we have to assess it closely.”
Must win
It is a must-win game for the Toffees as they stay perilously close to relegation.
In fact, it is only the goal difference that is separating them from the bottom three.
The Toffees have picked up only one win from their last five league games, and they need to win against Newcastle at home.
Lampard’s side lost 3-1 against the Magpies last month at St James’ Park, and they have a chance to take revenge.
However, more than anything else, it’s the three points that should be the primary aim.
Calvert-Lewin once again could be a big miss for the club. The England striker has struggled for form and fitness this season, and his absence has hurt the team badly.
The defence is all over the place at the moment, with players making costly errors. With Jonjoe Kenny out of this fixture, Lampard could use Ben Godfrey for the left-back role.
In other Everton news, Kevin Campbell has reacted to the latest loss, a result he called “terrible”.
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