Everton have confirmed that Yerry Mina ‘will not be available’ to face Aston Villa as he’s struggling with a muscle injury. It’s bad news for Carlo Ancelotti and leaves him with Mason Holgate, Michael Keane and Jarrad Branthwaite to pick from at centre-back.
Mina has featured in all four Everton games this month, amassing 22 minutes in the 2-1 win over Leicester City (July 1), 54 minutes in the 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur (July 6), 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw with Southampton (July 9) and 31 minutes in the 3-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers (July 12). He may have been overplayed to injury and will now miss out against Villa.
The 25-year-old has made 33 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring two goals with one assist. Mina has been a regular at centre-back when fit but has been more expendable since football returned in June – 197 minutes of Premier League football from a possible 540.
Fortunately, Holgate has returned in time to face Villa, so he should come straight into the starting eleven and Keane may be his partner. Everton didn’t confirm when Mina could return, however, so it remains to be seen when the £18m-rated man will be back.