Delph and Nkounkou can fill in for Everton

After the news earlier this evening that Everton left-back Lucas Digne won’t be suspended for more than one match, the question is who will fill in for him this weekend?

The fact that Digne is only absent for one game is a win for Everton, who were otherwise looking at him potentially missing three Premier League fixtures.

If he had been missing for those games together with Richarlison who is also absent for the first two, that would have left the Toffees without the first-choice left side of their team.

However, although the Blues have succeeded in reducing Digne’s sentence, he will still be absent for this weekend’s trip to Newcastle United.

So then the question is who can replace him for this one occasion. Theoretically there are actually two potential candidates to fill in, young teenage defender Niels Nkounkou and midfielder/full-back Fabian Delph.

Let’s look at Delph first of all. The former Manchester City and England player hasn’t exactly set Goodison Park on fire since his move last summer from the then Premier League champions.

I actually thought it was a decent signing at first. Everton were bringing in a lot of young talent and could do with a bit more experience and leadership in the squad.

Delph was a player who could provide that additional nous and experience as well as hopefully some quality. He had also played at the highest level and won plenty of trophies too.

But after a decent start he got inured and basically has been hardly seen since. This season he’s had a few run outs in the Carabao Cup and Premier League appearances coming off the bench and done reasonably well.

Delph is primarily a midfielder but he has played a lot at left-back and in fact regularly featured there during City’s title winning seasons under Pep Guardiola.

As for Nkounkou, the young Frenchman has been a revelation since arriving from Marseille on a free transfer just before the summer window opened.

He had been expected to spend this season in the Under-23’s, but Leighton Baines’ surprise retirement after the final game of last season meant that it was possible he could be called on earlier than expected.

So he was given some first-team run outs in pre-season and in the Carabao Cup. He’s been outstanding in those Carabao Cup matches where he has shown a maturity and composure that hadn’t been expected.

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He also provided evidence of his talent as well. His pace, power, skill and creativity playing as an attacking left-back was very much in evidence.

One thing though is that he was obviously up against lower league opposition and hasn’t therefore been properly tested defensively at Premier League level.

For this Sunday’s game I would actually have them both in the team. Delph can slot in on the left side of the Toffees midfield three and I would prefer him to start rather than Gylfi Sigurdsson who he came on for and who again didn’t do enough against Southampton on Sunday.

Then Nkounkou can start at left-back and play with his natural freedom while having the cover and experience of Delph in front of him.

And given that he has been willing to go with young players – most recently Ben Godfrey – Carlo Ancelotti might well decide to do exactly that and start with both against the Magpies.