Everton defenders back in training

In a timely boost for Everton, the club have confirmed that central defender Mason Holgate has returned to training after his injury in the summer.

Given all the bad news that Everton fans have been digesting over the past few weeks, this is a welcome bit of information.

And it comes a day after the Toffees secured a reduction in Lucas Digne’s potential ban from three games to one, for the red card he picked up at Southampton on Sunday.

Holgate got his injury playing for the Blues in their last pre-season game against Preston North End. It was an untimely problem for him to have, leaving Everton without one of their first-choice defensive players for an unknown length of time and with the season just about to begin.

Eventually it became clear that he was going to be missing for at least a few months. Then of course in just the club’s second game of the new campaign, fellow centre-back Jarrad Branthwaite was hurt in the Carabao Cup match against Salford City.

It certainly looked as though the Toffees traditional injury jinx was returning and Everton were suddenly two defenders down with the season barely a few weeks old.

Well now it appears that Holgate is on the mend and a return to training is certainly a very good sign that he is healing well. In addition, according to the story in the Echo, Branthwaite has also recovered sufficiently to start training as well.

This period though can be the most uncertain as going back to training can aggravate an injury or lead to another as the body is suddenly tested again.

Assuming there are no complications, it will be a major plus for Carlo Ancelotti to hopefully have these two back in contention for a place in his first-team soon.

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Micheal Keane and Yerry Mina have done well enough as a pair and Keane in particular has been very good since the return of the Premier League after lockdown.

However, they are very similar players and Mina in particular can be frustratingly inconsistent, so the difference that Holgate will make with his pace and ability on the ball, is important.

Branthwaite too has impressed when he came into the side late last season so having him fit again soon adds further strength in depth.

In further good news, another of the Toffees long-term injured, right-back Jonjo Kenny is also in contention for a start this weekend against Newcastle United having recovered from his injury.

While the youngster isn’t perhaps the long-term answer and can’t replace Seamus Coleman’s energy and defensive solidity, he would give Ancelotti another more natural option in that role. That’s useful, especially with Ben Godfrey having struggled to fill in at Southampton in what is not his natural position.