Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin played in a behind closed doors friendly against Manchester United on Tuesday evening, getting valuable minutes under his belt.
The £1.5m centre-forward has struggled with injuries for the past two seasons and played just 90 minutes of pre-season football, with 45 minutes in each game against AC Monza and Sporting CP.
However, as per reports in the Liverpool Echo, the 26-year-old started upfront for the Blues in the friendly against United played at their Carrington training ground.
While it was planned that the England international would play 70 minutes, Dominic Calvert-Lewin completed the full 90 in what is a huge boost for Sean Dyche’s side ahead of Sunday’s trip to Villa Park.
Everton were wasteful in front of goal during last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Fulham at Goodison Park, and the return of a fit and firing DCL cannot come quick enough for the Blues.
Indeed, the Liverpool Echo also reports that loan singing Arnaut Danjuma, who came on as a subsitute against Fulham, also started the behind closed doors fixture against Manchester United.
Ukrainian left-back Vitalii Mykolenko also featured, alongside Ben Godfrey and Jarrad Branthwaite in what was a 2-0 defeat for the Toffees.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin return will hopefully see a return of goals at Goodison Park
The valuable minutes on the pitch for the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin in particular will be enormously beneficial as he continues his return from injury.
Everton still need to sign a new centre-forward this summer and alleviate some of the pressure currently on DCL’s capacity to remain fit for the Toffees.
Jack Harrison, who joined on loan from Leeds United, will no doubt add goals from midfield, though the 26-year-old is also currently unavailable through injury.
However, former Toffees Alan Stubbs insists that Harrison will be a ‘quality’ addition to Sean Dyche’s squad when speaking with the A View From The Bullens Podcast.
Hopefully Everton’s injured contingent can make a return to fitness sooner rather than later.
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