Silva praises key Everton midfielder

Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye has quickly become one of the most key players in Marco Silva’s system thanks to indefatigable running that has seen him operating all over the middle of the park, disrupting play in the opposition half while charging back to clean up in front of the backline as well.

Gana was simply outstanding against Fulham last weekend and anchored the Blues’ 3-0 win to break a four-game winless streak, and manager Marco Silva will be looking for more of the same today at Leicester City.

“It is an important position for me and to our squad. He is playing more like our holding midfielder, in the No 6 position.

“In our plan, it is a really important position. Gana is improving and understanding what I want… using his capacity and aggressiveness in the right way.”

The Senegalese international was rested in the midweek Carabao Cup elimination against Southampton, and the difference was quite clear without his energy in the middle.

“He is really important for us because our other midfielders do not have the same profile and we need Gana at a good level to help us in those moments, in our reaction and in our defensive and offensive transition.

“He is improving his understanding of what our plan needs from him in each moment of the game.”

While Gueye’s passing remains his weakest quality, Silva is attempting to put him in positions where he can succeed by not having to be the playmaker looking to find the incisive passes down the wings that Silva’s system asks for.

Gueye’s effectiveness in his role has allowed both Tom Davies and Gylfi Sigurdsson to be even better at their respective positions, and the 29-year-old will be charged today with keeping the Foxes’ James Maddison quiet. The young Englishman has had an excellent few weeks in the playmaker role and has been nominated for the September Player of the Month award along with Sigurdsson.