Iwobi Hopes To Become A Regular Under Ancelotti At Everton

Nigeria winger Alex Iwobi hopes to become a regular under Carlo Ancelotti at English Premier League club, Everton.

Iwobi missed Everton’s first six league games of the new manager’s reign with a hamstring injury but returned to the starting line-up at Watford last weekend.

“I’ve never been injured before and I’m thinking ‘why against Arsenal?’ and ‘why when there is a new manager watching?’” he said.

“’What have I done to deserve this luck?’. But I took it on the chin and luckily I have good team-mates, we have good staff, good family around me and so I was able to forget about it quick and focus on getting back as soon as possible. It was a minor set-back.”

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He added: “Because I’d never had an injury before, I didn’t know what to do.

“Even when I injured myself in the game, I tried to continue, but that is the worst thing I could’ve done. Everyone has had an injury in their time, so when I got back in they were all telling me what I should do, how I should cope with it, don’t stress on trying to come back too quickly. It did help me and luckily I was able to recover quicker than usual.

“I was told six weeks but I came back after four.

“Touch wood it doesn’t happen again. I felt a pop in my hamstring and I thought I could play on but I couldn’t so it was weird but hopefully it won’t happen again.”

Iwobi lasted 65 minutes at Vicarage Road and hopes to retain his place in the XI for this weekend’s game with Crystal Palace.

And if he does start then he is not expecting any surprises with regards to his position.

“So far, in training, I have only been on the left,” he said.

“And the way he plays, it suits me, I don’t have to stay out on the left, I can come inside and drift in so it does suit my playing style. But at the end of the day, it’s what is best for the team and however I can help them what qualities I can bring to the team, and I feel Carlo is able to bring the best out of me.

“With me, wherever I’m told to play – right-back, centre-back but hopefully not! – I will still try and do my best. I’m enjoying it on the left so far.”