Seamus Coleman boosts Everton with a goal on his return from injury

Feb 15 2012 by Greg O'Keeffe, Liverpool Echo

SEAMUS COLEMAN made a goalscoring return from injury yesterday, to give Everton boss David Moyes another timely boost.

Coleman scored in Everton Reserves’ 6-3 defeat of Newcastle yesterday after more than a month sidelined with a thigh problem.

And teenager Ross Barkley, who has not featured since November because of a knee problem, also stepped up his bid for full fitness with a goal.

It leaves only Phil Jagielka (knee), Leon Osman (knee) and Jack Rodwell (hamstring) of the senior players to return from injury.

Jagielka's return was scheduled for early March and the defender is looking forward to edging closer to first-team involvement.

“It has probably been the longest January ever but I have got over that and am out of the brace and starting to do more in training as well,” said the centre-back, who has not played since damaging medial knee ligaments in the defeat to Bolton on January 4.

“I have had Ossie (Leon Osman) for company which has been good and we'll hopefully be stepping it up in the next couple of weeks. I am getting there.

“We are itching to get back – although we'll probably be sat on the bench or in the stand the way the team are playing at the moment.

“The whole team looks different and they look brilliant every game. We have added quality in January – Nikica has not played much yet – but Denis is like a new signing, the raging bull up front chasing everything.

“The back four are doing fantastically – they have changed around in the last month or so – and hopefully we can have a much better second half of the season to the first.”