Feb
25
We bring you the action from Europe as 32 teams battle it out to make it through to the last 16 of the Europa League
Feb
25
• Everton manager must choose between Jagielka and Senderos
• Europa League tie at Sporting Lisbon tests Moyes’s resources
David Moyes has admitted it would be a risk to throw Phil Jagielka into action against Sporting Lisbon but added it was something he would not hesitate to do. The centre-half has not played a senior game since tearing his cruciate ligaments last April, six days after his penalty against Manchester United took Everton to the FA Cup final.
Yet with Sylvain Distin suspended after his dismissal in the 2-1 first-leg win, Moyes has a straight choice between Jagielka and Philippe Senderos, who is nursing a back injury, for the return in the Estádio José Alvalade.
“It would be a risk but we have a lot of confidence in the boy,” Moyes said of Jagielka. “Not having had any games would be a problem but sometimes needs must.” Although the odds slightly favour Senderos playing, the Everton captain, Phil Neville, said it would be in Jagielka’s best interests to begin his comeback immediately.
“Sometimes, rather than sitting and worrying about it, you are better being thrown straight back in at the deep end,” he said. “Yes, he will be nervous but adrenaline on a big European night for the club will get him through. He has been training for three or four weeks now and he is that old-fashioned type of player who has probably played with strains and bruises all his life. He is not one of these foreign players who needs to be 110% before they can start a game of football. He will get through it fine.” Tim Rich
Everton (from) Howard, Nash, Turner, Baines, Yobo, Neville, Coleman, Senderos, Jagielka, Duffy, Arteta, Osman, Pienaar, Bilyaletdinov, Gosling, Rodwell, Baxter, Donovan, Yakubu, Anichebe, Vaughan, Saha.
Five, kick-off 8.05pm
Uefa Europa LeagueEvertonTim Richguardian.co.uk
Feb
22
• David Moyes ready to call on defender after 10-month absence
• Four defenders likely to be absent for Sporting Lisbon game
Phil Jagielka could make his long-awaited Everton comeback this week as David Moyes wrestles with a defensive shortage against Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League.
The England international has not played since rupturing a cruciate ligament against Manchester City last April and, similarly to his team-mate Mikel Arteta, he suffered several setbacks during his rehabilitation that have delayed his return.
Jagielka, who only resumed full training last week, is due to play for the reserves tonight against Bolton Wanderers. With John Heitinga ineligible for the Europa League, Sylvain Distin suspended, Tony Hibbert out with a hernia and Philippe Senderos struggling with a back problem, Moyes said that he may have no option but to recall Jagielka alongside Joseph Yobo in Portugal.
“He is back training now and we will try and push him on quickly as we might need him on Thursday,” said Moyes, whose side carry a precarious 2-1 lead into the second leg. “He is physically not ready and he needed an injection in a cyst on his knee that kept him from training for a week. We hope that has cleared up. He is back training and with the people we’ve got out for this game I could do with him.”
While Jagielka would be a risk against Sporting, his availability represents a further lift to an Everton squad full of confidence following recent home wins over Manchester United and Chelsea.
Jack Rodwell, who sealed the 3-1 win over United on Saturday with a fine injury‑time goal, said: “Mikel Arteta was amazing against United and he’s been out for a year. Who knows where we’d have been with him? Jagielka hasn’t played and he was our best player last season. The future really is bright for Everton at the moment.”
Everton will also be without Tim Cahill and Marouane Fellaini in Portugal but Rodwell, who offers another option to Moyes in central defence, says the team has nothing to fear on current form. The England Under‑21 international said: “We’ve beaten Man City, Chelsea and now Man United. We’ve had some great results at home and the confidence is brilliant. I really think we can go and do good things this season.
“Just to get on against United was great but to score and beat them was the icing on the cake. Mikel played a lovely ball in to me and I looked up and thought, ‘There’s a lot of space here.’ Louis Saha was pulling off and I thought, ‘I’m one on one with the defender, all I have to do is take it past him’, which I did and luckily got the goal.”
EvertonSporting LisbonUefa Europa LeagueDavid MoyesAndy Hunterguardian.co.uk
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