Everton visit Manchester United live on Sky Sports Premier League on Sunday
Friday 26 October 2018 15:49, UK
Marco Silva insists he will not rush to select Yerry Mina in his Everton starting line-up just because of the substantial transfer fee the club spent to bring the defender in from Barcelona.
The Colombia international has not played since arriving at Goodison Park for £27.2m because of injury, after the Merseyside club fought off interest, including from Manchester United, who Everton visit on Super Sunday.
Mina was among the substitutes for the first time last week as they beat Crystal Palace 2-0 for their third league victory on the bounce, with defensive pairing Michael Keane and Kurt Zouma in good form.
"When I look for my players the money is not important for me, what the club spent on him last summer or two years ago. It is not because of that I take my decision," Silva said.
"I am happy because Yerry is working hard and well. He is working hard in our squad every day. He is understanding what our model is because he lost more or less the first two months [through injury]. He is working like the others to achieve what he wants, which is to play in our starting eleven.
When the chance appears for him I want him ready like he is in this moment.
"The other two [Keane and Zouma] they are playing well as well. It is a matter of my decision. What is very good for me is seeing Mina working like he is working, fighting every day and enjoying the club. When the chance appears for him I want him ready like he is in this moment."
Everton will target a fourth consecutive league victory for the first time since Ronald Koeman's tenure when they visit Old Trafford and despite being above Jose Mourinho's side, Silva expects a tough fixture against a side, who are "always dangerous".
Former Everton striker Romelu Lukaku has failed to score in eight games in all competitions - his longest run without a goal since joining in a £75m deal in 2017 and Silva says the spotlight on the Belgium international is to be expected.
"They are always a very good, strong side for all the opponents they can play against. For me there are no doubts about that," he said as they go in search of their first win at Old Trafford in five years.
"When you are talking about a striker in Lukaku it is normal if he doesn't score in the last games to criticise him. It happened the same with our strikers before. It is football.
"Lukaku and the United team have the quality to do good things. We will work for them not to do it in the next match because it will be against us.
"We will have to do everything we can do to achieve a good result and stop them. It is a normal situation with a big club like Man United with the goals they have to play to be champion. It is normal the pressure behind them."
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Jose Mourinho has come under pressure after an indifferent start to their season but Silva believes his fellow Portuguese counterpart can overcome their difficulties.
"He's a good friend, good man and a very good manager," Silva said. "For me it's clear, Jose is changing nothing in his behaviour from what I can see.
"I think he's the same coach who brought fantastic success to Chelsea twice, did the same at Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid.
"Now it is a different challenge for him at Man United and he's doing his best for sure to achieve what he wants."
