Amadou Onana returns to Everton training while…

Amadou Onana returns to Everton training while wantaway midfielder handed chance

Everton’s players were all smiles in the midweek sunshine as they prepared for the trip to Brighton and Hove Albion.

Ben Godfrey is out of the bank holiday match with a groin injury and Seamus Coleman is unlikely to play again this season after suffering knee ligament damage in the Blues’ draw at Leicester City. That point prevented Leicester from pulling clear of Everton and offered some positives for Sean Dyche as his team fought through adversity to avoid defeat.

The Blues remain in deep trouble, however, and the trip to Brighton represents a significant challenge but one that cannot be written off in advance. These are a few of the talking points raised by training pictures released by the club ahead of the match.

Amadou Onana back with the team

Onana has been in and out of the side in recent weeks due to both injury and illness. A groin problem led to his absence for the games with Fulham and Crystal Palace, forcing Dyche to make additional changes to a central midfield that was already missing Abdoulaye Doucoure. Onana returned for the defeat to Newcastle United but was then an unused substitute against Leicester after struggling with a sickness bug. He has been back in training this week, though, with the 21-year-old pictured training with the squad.

Nathan Patterson set for a starting spot?

Coleman’s knee injury will have a significant impact on Everton’s final weeks of the season, particularly with the club having struggled to deal with his absence due to injury last month. Coleman missed the games with Fulham, Crystal Palace and Newcastle and both Godfrey and Mason Holgate were used at right back. Both struggled out of position and against that backdrop Dyche faced growing calls to select Nathan Patterson, who started the season as Everton’s first-choice right-back under Frank Lampard. With neither Holgate nor Godfrey in the squad at Leicester, Patterson replaced Coleman and looked good after his introduction. The Scotland international could now be set for his first start under Dyche.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin building sharpness

Dominic Calvert-Lewin spoke with honesty about his battle for fitness earlier this week, discussing the willpower and resilience needed to overcome another setback over two seasons that have been blighted by injury. He praised Dyche for the patience given to him while he dealt with the latest issue, a hamstring problem, and was clearly overjoyed at having been able to celebrate with Everton fans again after his goal at the King Power Stadium. It was his first since October and only his second of the season but he has looked good on his return and could be the key to the Blues' survival. Pictures from training suggest his body is withstanding the pressure of recent fixtures - a good thing for Everton.

Isaac Price involved in first-team training

Talented midfielder Isaac Price is out of contract in the summer and being courted by a host of clubs across Europe. Belgian side Standard Liege is his expected destination after the player and Everton could not find agreement on a new deal. Price is keen to prove himself at first-team level and is happy to move abroad for the right opportunity. His departure will be a loss for a club attempting to create a better pathway from the academy to the first team. Price was credited as Everton’s best player in the mid-season trip to Australia and made his senior international debut for Northern Ireland recently. Price has been on the bench for Everton Under-21s in recent games.

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