Vitalii Mykolenko may have saved Everton career with what he did vs Burnley
Vitalii Mykolenko looks set for an uncertain few months at Everton.
Mykolenko is out of contract in the summer, and there has been no agreement on fresh terms with Everton.
David Moyes is keen to keep the Ukrainian at the Hill Dickinson Stadium beyond the end of the current season, but no deal has been signed at the moment.
However, he may have made his case for a new contract with his showing in the 2-0 win over Burnley on 3 March.
How did Mykolenko perform in Everton’s win over Burnley
Mykolenko was brilliant in the victory against the Clarets, particularly with the ball at his feet, which may come as a surprise to Evertonians.
The 26-year-old looked comfortable in possession, and that was evident from his 93 per cent pass accuracy, in which he completed 56 of his 60 attempts, per Sofascore.
He had a stunning 97 per cent pass accuracy in his own half, only missing with one of his 30 attempts, and a 90 per cent accuracy in opposition territory, misplacing just three of his 30 passes in that area.
Mykolenko had 90 touches in the contest, and only gave it away eight times, showing that he can thrive with the ball.
In terms of his defending, he made one interception, six clearances and six recoveries against Scott Parker’s side.
He won three of the four ground duels that he attempted, with two on the ground and one in the air being successful.
Why Mykolenko cannot stop now
He may have saved his career on Merseyside with his showing against the relegation strugglers, as left-back has been a position of concern for Moyes all season.
He needs to keep it up though, if he is going to convince the Friedkin Group that his future remains in L4, as one performance in a blue moon is not good enough.
If he can do that and potentially help the Toffees secure European football, he will surely be rewarded with fresh terms.
The Blues may be about to see the best out of their Ukrainian star, for the first time since he signed in 2022, and that could see him extend his stay beyond the current expiry date.
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