Alex Iwobi has returned to the Everton starting line up just over one week after being stretchered off against Manchester United.
The 26-year-old left Old Trafford on crutches and a scan later revealed he had suffered ankle ligament damage. His recovery timetable was set at around three weeks and, speaking ahead of the Southampton game on Friday, Frank Lampard suggested his comeback could be earlier than expected but that Iwobi was targeting the West Ham United match next week.
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But he has been named in the starting line-up, signalling a remarkable comeback from injury. He will sit behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Demarai Gray in what appears to be a 5-3-2 formation.
Calvert-Lewin returns to the starting line-up after being rested for the opening hour of the FA Cup tie against Manchester United and Anthony Gordon remains on the bench. Conor Coady and James Tarkowski will line up alongside Ben Godfrey at the back with Seamus Coleman and Vitaly Mykolenko operating as wing backs. Iwobi completes Lampard's first choice midfield with Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana.
STARTING XI: Pickford; Mykolenko, Coady, Tarkowski, Godfrey, Coleman; Onana, Iwobi, Gueye; Gray and Calvert-Lewin
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