Gabby Agbonlahor has claimed that Everton will now be ‘buzzing’ over some injury news that has emerged involving Yerry Mina.
The Lowdown: Back at Finch Farm
As per injury expert Ben Dinnery, Mina is back at Finch Farm, as he looks to step up his recovery.
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He has not featured for the Merseyside club since early February, with a crucial set of fixtures ahead, including a game away at West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
While it feels unlikely he would immediately return to the XI against the Hammers, his return to action at Finch Farm surely means he is not too far off.
The Latest: Agbonlahor reacts
Speaking to Football Insider, former Aston Villa and England striker Agbonlahor, who is also a pundit for Sky Sports, has claimed that the Goodison Park faithful will be ‘buzzing’ to get Mina back, and suggested that he could replace Michael Keane in the team:
“Michael Keane has been absolutely dreadful in recent months.
“He’s lacked the pace, and he’s even lacked the intelligence at times.
“Mina coming back, for me, will be massive. I love him. He’s a big, physical, giant of a defender. He’s fairly quick, too.
“He’ll be one that I’m sure Frank Lampard will be relying on, they’ll be buzzing to get him back.
“Lampard has got a lot to sort out in the summer with that defence.”
The Verdict: Mina over Keane
It was not long ago that pundit Jamie Carragher called the Toffees’ defence a ‘Championship back four’ after losing 5-0 away at Tottenham Hotspur, and Keane played that night in the absence of Mina.
The fact that the Englishman has been a just outside of the relegation zone suggests that his defending has not been up to scratch this campaign. In contrast, four of the Blues’ seven wins in the top flight have come when Mina is playing.
Nonetheless, once the Colombia international is fully fit, it seems like a logical swap from Frank Lampard to start him ahead of Keane.
In other news, find out which £18m-rated maestro EFC could now sign for free here!