Everton will head to South London tomorrow afternoon for their Premier League clash with Crystal Palace and Sean Dyche could be set for a huge boost to his squad availability ahead of the game.
What's the latest on Amadou Onana's injury?
The Everton boss took to his pre-match press conference on Thursday to give a fresh update on Amadou Onana's progress in his recovery from a groin strain that saw him unavailable for selection in the defeat to Fulham at Goodison Park last weekend.
Dyche told the press:
"Ama (Onana) has made a bit more of a recovery. He was training today and we'll see how that reacts tomorrow."
Will Amadou Onana start vs Crystal Palace?
There is no doubt that the midfielder has been one of the few positives for the club since his arrival on the blue side of Merseyside last summer and his influence in the centre of the pitch has been incredibly valuable.
Over 28 Premier League appearances, the 21-year-old midfielder has scored one goal, registered one assist and created two big chances, as well as averaging one interception, 2.3 tackles, 1.1 clearances and 6.3 duels won, using his 6 foot 3 stature to effectively dominate opponents and comfortably win possession.
In fact, under Dyche's short reign at the club, the Belgian ace has played 74 minutes or more in all six of the games in which Everton have picked up points since his arrival, and in the two fixtures he hasn't featured this season, the side have lost both.
The physicality that Onana provides in midfield was something that Toffees sorely missed in the 3-1 loss to Fulham last Saturday, with James Garner and Idrissa Gana Gueye both struggling to hold off the press from their opponents in the centre of the pitch, which ultimately cost them many opportunities to take control of the game.
Since Roy Hodgson's reunion with Crystal Palace at the beginning of this month, the Eagles have gone on an impeccable run, tallying up three victories and scoring nine goals in total, including a monumental 5-1 over Leeds United last weekend, so it will be no easy feat for the travelling Merseysiders.
As a result, the return of Onana would be massively advantageous when the Toffees head to Selhurst Park this weekend and would be warmly welcomed by the supporters, manager and the team in their desperate pursuit of Premier League survival as Dyche could push Garner aside to cater for the Belgian's much-needed return to the starting XI.