DAVID MOYES is set to receive a triple fitness boost with Nikica Jelavic, Leon Osman and Jack Rodwell all in contention for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Queens Park Rangers.
The trio have all been missing recently, but took positive strides towards full fitness this week.
Jelavic, who has managed just 30 minutes for the club since signing from Rangers in a £5.5m deal in January, played 45 minutes for Croatia in their international friendly defeat to Sweden in Zagreb on Wednesday night.
And with the 26-year-old showing no ill-effects from the athletic pubalgia problem which has kept him out of the Blues’ last two games, the striker is set to boost Moyes’ attacking options ahead of the visit to Loftus Road on Saturday.
Jelavic, who earlier this week spoke of his frustration at being unable to launch his Goodison career so far, will return to training at Finch Farm today, and is expected to be part of the Blues’ travelling party as they head to west London to face Mark Hughes’ strugglers.
The Croatian will, however, have to dislodge the in-form Denis Stracqualursi if he is to win a place in Everton’s starting line-up. The Argentine has emerged as something of a talisman in recent weeks, scoring three goals in his last five appearances.
Also set to face QPR are midfield duo Osman and Rodwell, both of whom emerged unscathed from a reserve-team outing against Bolton Wanderers on Tuesday. Osman, who has been out since suffering a knee injury during the defeat to Bolton on January 5, managed 45 minutes for Alan Stubbs’ second string, scoring in a 2-2 draw, while Rodwell, who picked up a hamstring strain in the same game, managed an hour.
The pair’s return comes at a good time for Moyes, who will be without January signing Darron Gibson for up to four weeks after the midfielder sustained a knee injury during the FA Cup win over Blackpool last month.
Phil Jagielka remains sidelined with medial ligament damage, but Moyes has no other fresh concerns.
