Andre Gomes has opened up on how he is still striving to reach full fitness and detailed the close relationship he holds with Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti.
The Portuguese suffered a fractured dislocation to his right ankle against Tottenham at Goodison Park just over 12 months ago.
But just 112 days after suffering the horrific injury in a challenge with Son Heung-min, Gomes made a remarkable return to first-team action against Arsenal at the Emirates.
The former Benfica and Barcelona midfielder went on to feature regularly for the Blues in their Premier League games post-lockdown.
And although he was a regular at the start of this season, Gomes has only featured in two of his side’s past six fixtures.
“The truth is, I am still trying to find my best feeling, to get fit, to get ready to be 100 per cent for all the game,” the 27-year-old said.
“In the past months, with the pandemic, it was hard for me physically. A lot of details can change, my body shape or how fit I feel.
“When we came back after the first lockdown, I had a really small injury in one place, then something else in another place, because I was trying to compensate coming from the big injury.
“I was trying to get fit and regain power. We had a small pre-season before nine games in two months. Then we had a short break and another small pre-season, when I needed minutes.
“It would have been perfect for me to have all that time to recover and prepare in a normal way.
“Now, I am working to get as fit as I can and trying to feel better, trying to be confident when we are playing.
“But, more than anything else, I am trying to improve physically.”
After a ropy start to November, in which the Blues failed to register a victory, a win was secured against Fulham at the weekend.
However, it was done without Gomes, who was handed a watching brief at Craven Cottage. But in a chat with evertontv, Gomes admitted he understands why he might not be in his manager's starting line-up.
He said: “You want to play, so if you don’t, you will be upset – otherwise it is bad, right?
“But Carlo [Ancelotti] wants to talk with you and for you to understand what is going on. Sometimes, other players are doing better… that is how it is now.
“But the most important thing [when you are not playing] is the manager likes to be really close to the players.
“It doesn’t matter if it is players who play, who are on the bench or in the stand – he speaks with everyone.
“It makes you feel comfortable with what he is saying. All the players are important at different points but only 11 can start. It is part of my job to do my best to get back in the side. It has been hard this season.
“I came from a big injury and tried to get in perfect shape and feel really good on the pitch and work on that. I want to help the team achieve the goals we expect for this year.”
