Marco Silva hopeful Yerry Mina will be fit to face Tottenham

Everton boss Marco Silva says a late decision will be made on Yerry Mina ahead of Sunday’s Premier League home clash with Tottenham.

The defender, who missed the 3-2 loss at Brighton last Saturday due to a knee problem, started against Watford in the Carabao Cup three days later only to come off in the first half, with Michael Keane replacing him.

After the 2-0 win, Silva said Mina had felt pain in his knee and that he did not know the chances of the 25-year-old Colombia international being involved in this weekend’s contest at Goodison Park.

When asked at a press conference on Friday for an update, Silva said: “He worked with the team this morning.

“It was nothing serious, what he has in his knee at this moment. It’s just a matter of having the conditions to support the pain he has in this moment. If he can do that, he can train and possibly he can play as well.

“Today he did in the morning all the session, let’s see how he will react tomorrow and after we will take the decisions.”

He added: “We didn’t take the risk against Brighton. After, we worked two days before the game against Watford and together we took the decision.

“He felt a little bit of pain (during the game) and again it was don’t take the big risk. Our solutions for the central defenders are not a big number and you have to take care of those three (Mina, Keane and Mason Holgate).

“We did that, Michael was on the bench and came in in a good level. Mina rested two days and let’s see how he is tomorrow. We hope it’s nothing really special and it looks nothing special.”

Tuesday’s fourth-round tie saw Holgate, who has made more than 50 appearances for Everton since joining them in 2015, register his maiden Toffees goal when he opened the scoring with a 72nd-minute header.

The 23-year-old, on loan at West Brom for the second half of last term, made his first Premier League start of the season in the Brighton game before retaining his place for the Watford match.

Holgate spoke to Silva in September to get advice about what he needed to do to improve.

And on Friday Silva said of the former Barnsley player: “It (the goal) was a very good moment for him – always when you score your first goal with a blue shirt it is important, and it was important for the team as well.

“He was working really strong and well. We had that conversation, like normal I have with some of them. He felt it was an important moment for him to have a chat with me.

“It was a very honest conversation. I told him what he needs to improve, what I would like to see more and more and more, and to be honest and fair with him, he is trying to do everything that I ask him, understanding what is our defensive model, each day in a better way. He did a good two games I think.

“We have just three central defenders, it is tough for us, but the competition is hard between them, and Mason is different to the other two. He is a player who can give in some games a little bit more speed, he is more agile than the others, on the ball he is good as well.

“The others are a little bit different but the three are very good players and can help the team, depending on our strategy and plan for the match.”