Frank Lampard confirms three Everton players will return vs Crystal Palace - but seven absent

Frank Lampard has confirmed the latest Everton team news ahead of their huge game against Crystal Palace on Thursday night.

The Toffees can secure their Premier League status with a victory over Patrick Vieira’s side.

Everton are 16th in the table and missed a chance of confirming their stay in the top flight when losing 3-2 to Brentford last weekend.

But should they beat Palace then the Blues will be four points clear of Leeds United ahead of Sunday’s final round of fixtures.

However, Lampard has several injury problems he has to cope with.

The Everton boss confirmed that Fabian Delph (muscle) will once again be sidelined.

The experienced midfielder has made a marked difference since returning from injury, with the Toffees picking up 11 points in six games when he’s played.

Influential defender Yerry Mina also continues to struggle with a calf problem and cannot play for a third successive game.

There is good news, however, that Michael Keane has recovered from illness.

And Ben Godfrey (thigh) could be in the squad. He’s missed the previous four games since pulling out of the warm-up ahead of the 2-0 loss to Liverpool last month.

Donny van de Beek, who has also spent similar time on the sidelines with a groin issue, will also be involved on the night.

What’s been said

Lampard told reporters: “Ben may be in the squad. That’s just a testament to him, striving to get fit.

“He’s in the squad. I’ll take a decision on whether he’s involved at all. The others are out.

“Michael Keane has recovered. He [van de Beek] is in the squad.”

Meanwhile, Jarrad Branthwaite and Salomon Rondon are both suspended.

Branthwaite serves a one-match ban after his straight red card against Brentford for a professional foul.

Rondon, meanwhile, is suspended for three games. He was sent off for serious foul play just two minutes after coming on as a substitute in the loss to the Bees.

Andros Townsend, Nathan Patterson and Cenk Tosun are long-term injuries.

‘Not an all or nothing fixture’

The Toffees realistically need two points from their remaining two matches to avoid relegation but Lampard said it would not be wise to pin all their hopes on their last home game of the season against Palace in case they still needed to go to Arsenal to get something at the weekend.

“If you approach it as ‘all or nothing’ and then we don’t get the right result, do you then try to rekindle that you have a game to come?” he said.

“It is the reality. We have to approach it as a game at Goodison, a game against a really good opponent, and a game we all understand what it is.

“We have two games left to probably get two points with the goal difference situation with Leeds (Everton are 18 better off).

“We understand the situation, understand what we need and what we want and we have to prepare as well as we can to get it.

“But we are not going to write off a game against Arsenal, it’s a game to go and contend and try and get a result no matter what happens on Thursday.”