Arouna Koné to make Everton return against Krasnodar

Arouna Koné has said it will feel akin to making his professional debut when he returns to the Everton attack on Thursday after 14 months out injured.

The 31-year-old will start Everton's Europa League dead rubber against Krasnodar at Goodison Park having recovered from a serious knee-ligament injury sustained in October 2013. Koné has made only six appearances for Everton since following the manager, Roberto Martínez, from Wigan Athletic for €6m and endured several setbacks in his attempt to return from injury, a process that involved cutting short his summer holiday to undergo a rehabilitation course in Belgium.

"It has been such a long wait that it feels like I am making my debut and starting the first game of my career all over again," said the Ivory Coast international, who has not scored in his brief Everton career. "I am so excited and really motivated to help the team after such a long time out.

“I’ve had two cruciate injuries before but this injury was more complicated. I never feared my career would be over but it has been tough and I’ve had to be patient. I missed my summer break to get ready for this so it is going to be special to play again.”

With Everton assured of first place in Group H and the Russian club unable to progress, Martínez will make wholesale changes for the final group game.

The Everton manager confirmed Koné, the goalkeeper Joel Robles, Christian Atsu, Steven Pienaar, Bryan Oviedo, Tyias Browning and Luke Garbutt would start against Krasnodar and that "two of our young diamonds" would also feature. Martinez refused to name the pair "to give them a good night's sleep" but they are expected to be the highly rated midfielders Ryan Ledson and Kieran Dowell.

Guardian Service