Lampard confirms Donny van de Beek is in Everton squad to face Newcastle
Everton boss Frank Lampard has confirmed that Donny van de Beek will be included in his squad to face Newcastle tomorrow night.
The Manchester United midfielder completed his loan move to the Toffees until the end of the season on deadline day.
The 24-year-old missed Lampard’s first game in charge of the Merseyside club which was a 4-1 win against Brentford on Saturday.
That was due to the Dutch international being ineligible to play for Everton in the prestigious cup competition after he came off the bench in United’s third round win against Aston Villa.
United’s number 34, who will be wearing the number 30 jersey during his time at Everton was unveiled to the Goodison Park faithful alongside Dele Alli at half-time on Saturday.
Van de Beek, who United signed from Ajax for £35m (BBC Sport), will be hoping to make his Everton debut at St James’ Park.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Lampard said: “Yeah they’re [van de Beek and Alli] in the squad.
“They’ve been great in training, integrated on and off the training pitch as lads. It’s very important we are a tight unit.
“As the players showed the other day there’s competition in this squad now which is the only way it can be at this level. Great to have them both in and they’re in the squad.”
The former Chelsea manager was asked whether he believed van de Beek and Alli could complement one and other, and how he planned on integrating them both into his team.
The 43-year-old said: “I wouldn’t bring them in if I didn’t think they could complement one and other in the same team.
“It was an area of the pitch that I felt we needed to strengthen. There two in their own right individually very good, intelligent players with different styles and attributes.
“So if we’re going to be flexible in our system going forward which at times I will want to be, then I certainly think they can play together, and we can certainly complement it with the players we already have here.
“I’m not here to lean on those two too much because I have to respect the whole squad.”
When asked whether van de Beek’s frustrating lack of game time at Manchester United could help Everton, Lampard responded: “He’s a very talented boy and I have seen that in training in the last week, very intelligent.
“I knew that when my teams played against him in the past.
“I brought them [Alli and van de Beek] in to play but they have to make sure they earn the right.”
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