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Everton: Marco Silva reveals Fabian Delph is a ‘big doubt’ for Southampton clash

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Image for Everton: Marco Silva reveals Fabian Delph is a ‘big doubt’ for Southampton clash

Marco Silva has revealed that Fabian Delph is a ‘big doubt’ for the Toffees’ trip to Southampton on Saturday.

On Tuesday, the Englishman missed a training session and was due to be assessed ahead of their trip to the south coast at the weekend (via Liverpool Echo).

However, Everton’s Portuguese manager revealed in Thursday’s press conference that the 29-year-old midfielder will more than likely be missing the match (as per Everton).

Silva’s midfield injury woes

The latest injury comes as the second sustained to a Toffees middleman in the space of a week, after Andre Gomes’ horror injury against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday (via BBC).

Coupled with the pre-existing injuries to Jean-Philippe Gbamin and Bernard, then the Toffees’ midfield line looks increasingly depleted (via Liverpool Echo).

Particularly in the holding midfield area of the park, the 42-year-old gaffer will not have much to choose from for the trip to the Saints.

TiF Tactics – Who will get the midfield nod? 

Should Silva employ his preferred 4-2-3-1 structure against Southampton (via Sky Sports), or a 4-1-4-1 as he did against Spurs (per Sky Sports), the Portuguese manager will require at least two non-attacking midfielder types.

With the injured Delph, Gbamin and Gomes, Silva will only have three options of the like to choose from on Saturday.

Those being: Tom Davies, Beni Baningime and Morgan Schneiderlin; who are the only midfielders capable of playing the more defensive role fit for service (per Transfermarkt).

Of the three, it is likely that Davies and Schneiderlin will get the nod for the Saints clash, having many more Everton first-team minutes to their names (per Transfermarkt).

The 21-year-old, Baningime, has only 12 senior appearances to his name (via Transfermarkt), and with Silva under mounting pressure (via Daily Star), now is not the time to be blooding youngsters.

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