Good evening, Everton fans. Here are your evening headlines for Thursday, September 10.
Lampard denies Tomori deal is close
Everton have been linked with a loan move for Fikayo Tomori in recent days, but Chelsea boss Frank Lampard doesn’t believe a deal for the centre-back is close to being completed.
While Blues boss didn’t rule out a loan switch for the England international, he insisted that Tomori wasn't expected to depart Stamford Bridge imminently and that he was in contention to face Brighton and Hove Albion on Monday evening.
“I’m not aware of those conversations getting to a point where I will be talking about them,” he is quoted as saying by Reach journalist Paul Brown.
“He trained today and is in contention for Brighton.”
James praises Everton’s “proper fans”
He has only been an Everton player for a matter of days, but James Rodriguez already knows enough to appreciate the club's fanbase.
The Colombian star says the Toffees faithful's passion and support make the players give more, and that in turn in results in positive results.
"I've seen over my few days here that the fans are what I like to call proper fans, they're full of passion,” he said.
"When players, and we as a squad, see the fans are so passionate and behind us, it means we give more.
"We want to give our absolute all to try and make them happy.”
Double injury boost ahead of season opener
Everton start their 2020/21 Premier League campaign on Sunday with a clash against Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur.
And while Carlo Ancelotti has ruled out Mason Holgate of the trip to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, fellow defender Yerry Mina is fit again having missed both pre-season fixtures.
Midfielder Andre Gomes is also in contention despite reports he had suffered an injury while on international duty with Portugal.
Fabian Delph will require a late fitness check ahead of the game, but Ancelotti says the “physical condition of the team is quite good, [but] not at the top because pre-season was quite short.”
Everton's players will have a chance to hit peak fitness quickly, though, as the clash against Spurs is followed by mid-week game against Salford City in the League Cup, and a top-flight match against newly-promoted West Bromwich Albion on September 19.
