![Andre Gomes faces race against time to keep Everton spot [Opinion]](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwp.readeverton.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2021%2F02%2F1300201836-1-scaled.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
Everton midfielder Andre Gomes has endured a torrid time with injury since his 2019 move from Barcelona and has found it difficult to nail down a regular starting berth at Goodison Park.
The Toffees boast a wealth of options in the middle of the park, with the likes of Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan and Tom Davies being just some of the options available to Carlo Ancelotti.
The manager evidently knows the quality which Gomes can bring to his Everton team; he even went so far as to publicly hail the 27-year-old as ‘the best player on the pitch’ after his side’s 2-1 victory over Leeds United last week.
Ahead of the Toffees’ 3-3 draw with Manchester United on Saturday, the club revealed that Allan was back in first team training; and whilst he would not be available to immediately oust Gomes, Ancelotti’s previous faith in the Brazilian renders him as a serious contender to bolster Everton’s core.
Ancelotti almost immediately trusted Allan to make an impact, having seen firsthand what he can add to any midfield after the pair worked together at Napoli. He has already made 15 appearances this season despite his spell out with injury, with more than half of those coming as a starter (Transfermarkt).
Compared to Gomes’ more modest start rate of just 38%, it is clear as to which player is more of a rotational player in Ancelotti’s mind.
Gomes has evidently impacted Ancelotti’s thinking with strong performances against Leeds and Manchester United, playing the full 90 minutes against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
With Allan almost certain to be knocking on Ancelotti’s door soon, however, there is no more crucial time for Gomes to continue his impressive form than now.
