Everton and Crystal Palace square off this weekend and only one of them has a nippy attacker to call on.
Everton’s struggles this season are down to a number of reasons, but one key factor is no doubt their lack of pace in attacking areas.
While fans clamour for the inclusion of Ademola Lookman, the enforced absence of Yannick Bolasie due to injury has left Everton without one of their most effective attacking forces and they have suffered as a consequence.
And when Everton face Crystal Palace this weekend, they could see firsthand what happens when a side has an electric attacker, with Wilfried Zaha set to start for the Eagles.
There was a time when he and Bolasie were teammates at Palace, terrorising opposition defences to such an extent that the Toffees opted to make a big-money move for the latter; and how they could do with him now.
Bolasie has managed only 15 appearances for Everton to date, scoring one goal and providing four assists in the process, and while it would be foolish to blame the absence of one player on Ronald Koeman’s fate at the club, the Dutchman would have surely picked up more points if he could call on the former DR Congo international.
As it is, Everton will have to make do without him for a while longer, facing his former teammate this weekend in the knowledge that they have a magic winger of their own; just one that is frustratingly out of reach for a while yet.
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