Frank Lampard has explained the "difficult" decisions which faced him concerning both Yerry Mina and Fabian Delph ahead of Everton's defeat to Liverpool on Sunday afternoon.
The Blues fell to a 2-0 loss at Anfield thanks to goals in the second half from Andrew Robertson and Divock Origi. The visitors had put in a spirited first half display, but it wasn't enough to take anything from the game.
As team news was announced, a few eyebrows were raised at both Mina and Delph not being included in the starting 11, having both played last time out against Leicester City. While the latter took up a place on the bench, the former was absent from the squad altogether.
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Lampard later allayed any fears that the centre-back had suffered an injury, and explained his decision to leave both out of his side for the Merseyside Derby. He admitted it wasn't an easy decision, but did feel it was the right one.
He told his post-match press conference: "Difficult decisions, they came in and have both been really effective. Delph for two games, Yerry for one.
"Yerry was a bit stiff and tight two days after the game. It's normal when you've been out for ten weeks and with his history it was a decision made with a though process of the next games coming up.
"Delph was similar. They're important players for us and we took them out and the players who came in did well."
