Silva looking forward to adding faces to his matchday squad

Everton manager Marco Silva is looking forward to adding James McCarthy and Andre Gomes to his matchday squad and believes the pair will offer his team something different.

Neither player has made a first team appearance this season due to injury with McCarthy missing since January after breaking his leg and Gomes suffering a hamstring injury before joining the blues.

Speaking of McCarthy, Silva said: “He is powerful, strong in the challenge as well and that is something we need in some moments in our middle zone because the profile of some of our other players is not this type of profile.

“Some of the others are not as strong in some challenges and James can give us that in some situations. But his quality is important as well.

“He is working hard to achieve a good physical condition.”

Silva also said that Gomes is close to making his squad and has been working hard to get fit after a tough start on Merseyside.

“He is getting closer. Believe me. He is working hard and doing well,” said Silva.

“He is strong in his mind and I am sure he will help our squad like we need,” said Silva. “We are happy with our midfielders, of course, but he can give different things for us.

“He is working with confidence and training with confidence. I know his qualities very well and he can give us very good things.

“We need to have patience with him because we needed to get him into a good physical condition. He is working to achieve that and now it is games he needs.

“Last week we did something different for him. Not just for him but for James (McCarthy) and for (Yerry) Mina.

“This week it will be the same situation with (Seamus) Coleman.

“But he is getting closer to his best level and the next step will be the games which will give him what he needs.”

Will both players feature quite a bit for Everton this season?

Comment below or have your say on our dedicated Everton Forum at www.theevertonforum.co.uk/forum