Leon Osman hails the return of Marouane Fellaini as Everton start pre-season with victory at Bury

Jul 16 2011 by Chris Beesley, Liverpool Echo

Leon Osman hails the return of Marouane Fellaini as Everton start pre-season with victory at Bury

EVERTON midfielder Leon Osman hailed the return of Marouane Fellaini as the Blues’ record signing played his first game in five months.

The 23-year-old last played in the 2-0 Premier League win over Sunderland in February when he hobbled off with a season-ending ankle injury.

Manager David Moyes is currently trying to convince the former Standard Liege man that his future lies at Goodison Park with the club hoping that he will pen a new deal to replace his current contract that expires in two years’ time.

But while negotiations continue behind the scenes, Fellaini made an impressive comeback on the field in last night’s comfortable 4-1 win at Bury in Everton’s first pre-season friendly of the summer.

The £15million man set up the Blues’ first goal on 16 minutes with another returning team-mate Ayegbeni Yakubu – back from a loan spell at Leicester City – nodding home from close range.

Further goals from Magaye Gueye (2) and Osman followed as the visitors took control before former Blue Steven Schumacher’s second half consolation for the League One new boys.

With Everton coasting at 4-0 up at half-time, Fellaini was one of four senior players withdrawn but Moyes was clearly already satisfied with what he’d seen from his most valuable asset over the first 45 minutes.

Osman was also impressed and said: “It was good to see Felli back. He’s been a bit unfortunate over the past two seasons, picking up the serious injuries that he has but he’s such a big character on and off the field.

“It’s a massive boost to have him in the midfield alongside me. He’s one of the Premier League’s top players with his strength, his size and his ability on the ball – he’s a top player.

“We’re always pleased when we get our top players available.”

Everton dominated proceedings with some slick passing with early ball work in last week’s Austrian fitness camp clearly bearing fruit.

Osman said: “I think in seasons gone by we’ve basically only run for the first couple of weeks and it’s taken us a few weeks to find our feet with the ball.

“Last year we went to Australia and we had a game after three days out there so we had to get the ball out early.

“It really showed in our football last year so the plan is to do the same this season.

“We’re only one pre-season friendly in but it went well.

“We’ve had the balls out early and the surface was good. At this time of year you can get a sticky pitch here and there but the rain fell and it was really good for us to play on and I think we showed that with our football.”

Meanwhile, an Everton Under-21 side lost 1-0 to German club Freiburg yesterday in the Lev Yashin Cup in Moscow.

Alan Stubbs side will now face hosts Dynamo Moscow today in the third place play-off.