Much was made of Frank Lampard's need to address the lack of squad depth at Everton over the summer.
Last season's injury crisis showcased the value of having strength throughout the team as key absences hurt the Blues' efforts to avoid the drop. Lampard has moved to address that over recent months - adding numbers in defence and midfield.
One of his first pieces of business, carried out as the summer approached, was largely overlooked but now appears to have been an important move - securing the future of Asmir Begovic. Keeping hold of him amid reported late transfer window interest from Manchester United has also proved key.
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Begovic's contract was due to expire at the end of June but, even while Everton's Premier League status was under threat, the club took an option to extend it for a further 12 months in May. That move now looks particularly important following the injury suffered by Jordan Pickford in the Merseyside derby. His thigh issue is set to keep him out of action for at least the next two games - the trip to Arsenal and the home tie with West Ham United.
Begovic is now likely to make the step up - his extension meaning Lampard can call on a player with 255 Premier League appearances across five different clubs. Begovic's last Premier League performance for the Blues actually came at the Emirates on the final game of last season. With the club's safety confirmed he started in an experimental line up that lost 5-1.
The 35-year-old travelled to the USA on the club's pre-season tour but did not play over the summer after suffering an injury in training. Billy Crellin was the only keeper other than Pickford to get first team minutes during pre-season, but Begovic was chosen ahead of him to start against Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup - where he kept a clean sheet.
Other than the trip to Arsenal on the final day of last season, Begovic's further league appearances were the 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa in September and the dramatic 1-0 win over Newcastle United in March. The Bosnia and Herzegovina international, whose former clubs include Chelsea, Bournemouth and a brief loan spell at AC Milan, also made four cup appearances last season.
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