Your evening Everton headlines on Saturday, April 23.
Rafa Benitez makes major Everton transfer and money claim after sacking
Rafa Benitez insisted he and his staff “were doing our best” as he opened up about his controversial stint at Everton.
The former Blues boss said he was eager to succeed at Goodison Park and initially believed he made the right decision when he took over following the departure of Carlo Ancelotti.
He blamed money, injuries and “other problems” for the circumstances of his January exit, claiming the opportunity he believed he had in the transfer market was thwarted by difficulty selling players in the summer. But he also stressed his belief the club maintains the potential “to be great”.
Benitez opened up on his short time at Everton in an in-depth interview with Alan Shearer, for The Athletic. Revealing his disappointment with the way it ended, he said: “I wasn’t happy with the way it finished at Everton, because in the second part of the season, at all my teams, we’ve always done well as a staff, managing squads, controlling the load of training. So missing this part of the season is even worse.”
Joe Thomas has the full story, here.
Frank Lampard makes Fabian Delph Everton fitness admission
Everton’s coaching staff are closely monitoring Fabian Delph as they seek to make the most of the midfielder during the final weeks of the season.
Delph has played almost every minute of the Blues’ last two games, underlining his importance to Frank Lampard. But staff are keen not to overload him following his recovery from injury.
Delph was sidelined for months due to a thigh injury but returned to Everton’s squad following the international break. He made the bench against Burnley before playing until the 85th minute against Manchester United - a game in which he was one of several Blues to impress as they clinched a 1-0 victory.
He then played the full game against Leicester City in midweek. The 32-year-old could be called into action again for the Merseyside derby, though following his injury there remains uncertainty over whether he can play two games in quick succession.
To read the full story, click here.
