Loads of Everton fans have been reacting on social media, after the Liverpool Echo’s Phil Kirkbride claimed Fabian Delph will be fit to face Liverpool in Monday night’s Merseyside Derby at Goodison Park.
Delph missed last weekend’s smashing at Stamford Bridge through sickness, but is expected to be passed fit to face Jurgen Klopp’s title-elect Reds and miss no more than the Chelsea game.
The trip to South West London was the 12th Premier League fixture the 30-year-old has missed since his £10million summer switch from Manchester City, while also being an unused substitute in our prior top-flight clash with Manchester United.
Boss Carlo Ancelotti has so far only trusted Delph to open six of his 11 league games at the helm, but Kirkbride believes the Italian will look fondly on the 20-cap England international rather than favour Gylfi Sigurdsson or Tom Davies whilst Morgan Schneiderlin is out following knee surgery.
Is Delph being fit for the Merseyside Derby a boost for Ancelotti?
Yes
No
We have a winning record under Ancelotti with Delph featuring in some capacity, having claimed all three points against Burnley, Newcastle, Brighton and Watford, whilst drawing with West Ham and the Toon but losing to Man City and Arsenal.
Over the top-flight campaign as a whole, only Schneiderlin has averaged more successful tackles (2.9/4.4) per 90 minutes than Delph (2.0/3.0) of the players to have featured in central midfield more than twice for us, per WhoScored data.
Neither of the five players to have featured in central midfield more than twice for us have averaged more total passes per 90 in the league than Delph (59.4), too, while only Andre Gomes has averaged a higher number of successful dribbles (1.8 to 1.7).
Here are some of the messages shared as fans reacted to Kirkbride’s update on Delph’s fitness ahead of hosting Liverpool on Monday night…
Thats Delph and Gomes in in Monday if Ancelotti insists in giving Sigurdsson a game then go 433 with Kean up top with the other 2 #efc https://t.co/3Ssnij6iZo
— Wayne Ellis (@Wazefc83) March 11, 2020
Easily better than Davies people need to stop moaning
— liam anderson (@LiamAnderson66) March 11, 2020
I know people night not see this as a boost but he’s the best we have in that position.
Along with Schnerdelin the only ones that have the discipline to sit and protect.
— Neil (@spuddy1878) March 11, 2020
Good news . The people saying otherwise are the same ones who have been saying Davies and Sigurdsson shouldn’t play again ! .If no Delph who did they think would play on Monday ?
— Paul Bargery (@BargeTours) March 11, 2020
Define boost?
— ꜱᴇᴀɴɴ (@Sean88999) March 11, 2020
Should never have signed him anyway
— Neil Martin (@Neilo_m) March 11, 2020
Sell or bin he is terrible
— Steven Verhoeven (@steverhoeven) March 11, 2020
Didn’t no he was even injured… AGAIN imagine being this made of glass, imagine him doing an actual hands on physical job on a building site..proper wet lettuce this lad
— ꜱᴇᴀɴɴ (@Sean88999) March 11, 2020
He had the Coronavirus
— STEFAN BASIUK (@stefanbasiuk) March 11, 2020
Delph is a better player than Sigurdsson, Davies and Schneiderlin. At least he wants the ball and can run.
— Graeme.. (@graeme_f_s) March 11, 2020
In other Everton news, a club icon has come to the defence of an under-fire ace.