The one thing Everton's returning players all have in common - and why it's great for Marco Silva
The Blues have been without a number of stars throughout 2018/19 so far
Adam JonesEverton reporter
One of the main issues that Marco Silva has had to deal with during his time at Everton so far is availability.
The Blues have seemingly made a couple of changes to almost every starting lineup the manager has named so far in the Premier League - and a lot of the time they have been forced.
Suspensions and injuries have caused a number of stars to sit on the sidelines for either the whole term so far or a select amount of games at least.
But there's one thing all those players have in common, they've got something to prove when they're finally available again - and that proposed competition can surely only be a good thing for Silva .
We've had a look at all the players the Blues have been missing recently and are at varying stages of their return, and what they have to prove when they are back in the fold.
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Yerry Mina
It's been well-documented that Mina's time at Barcelona wasn't the best.
Having only joined the Catalan giants in January, they were willing to listen to offers for the Colombia international this summer after what was a strong World Cup for the centre-back.
And, when he does eventually return, there could be a lot of pressure instantly put on the 23-year-old's shoulders.
Everton are yet to keep a clean sheet in a competitive match under Silva and have desperately needed some solidity at the back throughout the term so far.
Mina will instantly be asked to prove his large price-tag and step into a shaky defence - hopefully providing all the defensive assurance the Blues have been lacking so far.
Andre Gomes training at Finch Farm with the rest of the Everton squad (Photo by Tony McArdle/Everton FC via Getty Images)
Andre Gomes
It's a similar situation in many ways for fellow incoming Barcelona man Andre Gomes.
A brilliant spell with Valencia earned the midfielder a big-money move to the La Liga giants back in July 2016 - but things didn't go according to plan.
The Portuguese international struggled for regular game-time last term, only managing 16 league appearances as Ernesto Valverde's side went on to win the championship.
Gomes has moved on loan to Everton in the hope that he can get more minutes of football under his belt and try to recapture the form that made him such a sought-after prospect at Valencia.
And, with the central midfield problems the Blues have at the minute, a cool head in that position could be key.
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Richarlison
This is the only one on the list which isn't down to injury, but Richarlison still has something to prove.
The fee paid for the winger raised a lot of eyebrows from elsewhere, but they were significantly lowered again once the 21-year-old started putting in quality performances in his first two competitive matches for Everton.
However, the red card in the draw against Bournemouth soured things a little, and has left the Blues a little short of attacking flair in his absence.
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The upcoming Arsenal match on Sunday will represent Richarlison's first match back, and he'll have to prove that he's recovered from the disappointment of that dismissal.
But, dependent on circumstances, he could also be asked to prove his credentials in a new central striking position - as the debate rages between fans as to whether he should replace Cenk Tosun up front.
It'll certainly be interesting to see which way Silva goes at the Emirates Stadium.
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Seamus Coleman
Everton's lack of defensive solidity so far this term hasn't been confined to the centre-backs.
Seamus Coleman has noticeably been a little out-of-sorts at the start of the 2018/19 campaign, not displaying the kind of energetic and fast-paced displays Blues supporters have become used to.
In particular fans have picked up on the defensive frailties that have been on display this season, although as already mentioned that's not specific to Coleman in particular.
Jonjoe Kenny put in a mixed display against West Ham, so the Republic of Ireland international has to put a stamp on his position whenever he is back to full fitness.
Michael Keane notches against Bournemouth (Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Michael Keane
Last season was notably difficult for Michael Keane .
After performing brilliantly in a well-organised Burnley defence under Sean Dyche, the centre-back struggled a little more in what was a turbulent season to say the least at Goodison Park throughout 2017/18.
This campaign looked to have started a little different, however.
Keane was starting to put in much more mature and assured displays at the start of this campaign, particularly in away matches against Wolves and Bournemouth before picking up a nasty head injury in the latter.
What Everton fans will want to see is if the 25-year-old can now quickly get himself back up to that level, and provide a consistency in his displays he's not yet shown in a royal blue shirt.
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Phil Jagielka
The season didn't get off to a good start for the club captain, and things just ended up getting worse a few weeks later.
Phil Jagielka was handed a straight red card in the closing stages of the first half on the opening day of the season, putting the Blues on the back foot but not stopping them earning a hard-fought 2-2 draw at Molineux.
His suspension is now over, but the centre-back is out with a knee injury.
However, when he is back to full fitness he'll certainly have something to prove and to make up for.
James McCarthy shields the ball (Image: Andrew Teebay)
James McCarthy
James McCarthy is slowly stepping up his recovery from a long-term injury - and it's starting to look like Everton are certainly missing him.
As mentioned earlier, as well as the central defence concerns the Blues currently have, there's a debate to be had over the current options in the centre of midfield.
The Republic of Ireland international has been out since January after suffering a horrific double leg break against West Brom at Goodison Park.
But the opportunity could well be there to fashion a role for himself in Silva's system - as you'd think his energy and tough-tackling approach would fit into the manager's ideas.
It's just a case of getting him fit at the right time, which doesn't seem imminent yet.
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