Everton

Michael Keane expects Yannick Bolasie to be "big player" for Everton

By Danielle Joynson, Staff Reporter | 03 January 2018

Everton defender Michael Keane thinks that Yannick Bolasie will be a crucial player in the second half of the season following the winger's return from injury.

Michael Keane has claimed that Yannick Bolasie could become a key player for Everton in the second half of the season.

Sam Allardyce has managed to steer the Merseyside outfit away from relegation following his arrival as Ronald Koeman's successor in November.

The club currently reside ninth in the Premier League table, but have lost their last two top-flight matches.

Bolasie spent over a year on the sidelines with cruciate ligament damage, but has since returned to action, making his comeback on Boxing Day in a goalless draw with West Bromwich Albion.

The winger has featured in three games so far, the most recent of which was a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United at Goodison Park on New Year's Day.

"He is something different," Keane told evertontv. "You saw in the first half [against United] the way he can take people on and cross the ball from both sides with his left and right foot.

"He is going to be a big player for us. Once he gets fitter and fitter, he will only get better as well. It is a big bonus to have him back. I think [he will be a key player].

"When we play against teams like Manchester United, we know they are going to have quite a lot of the ball and we might have to sit in at times, but if we have got players like Yannick, we can catch them on the counter."

Bolasie featured 14 times last season before he suffered the injury.