Nigeria midfielder Alex Iwobi will start from the bench at the London Stadium where his club, Everton face West Ham United in a crunch Premier League game Sunday evening.
The former Arsenal star who was restored to the starting line up last week in the Toffees’ 2-1 loss to visiting Aston Villa at Goodison Park is back on the bench for the third time this term for Everton and 82nd since he made his Premier League debut as an 89th minute substitute for Mesut Ozil in Arsenal’s 3-0 demolition of Swansea City at the Liberty stadium in October 2015.
Prior to this evening’s game, Iwobi was substituted on 47 times in the 81 games he had started as a substitute and was an unused substitute in 35 games.
The Nigerian’s chances of ending his 12-game goal drought have now been limited as Everton gaffer, Carlo Ancelotti might leave him on the bench for all 90 minutes for the third time this term and 36th time in the 188 games he has made the matchday squad in the competition.
Iwobi has appeared seven times against the Hammers in the Premier League and has won four times, lost twice and drew just once. He has not scored against the London side but has bagged three assists.
The Super Eagle has featured 153 times in the competition so far and has won 71 times, lost 50 games and has scored 13 goals only with his last goal coming
last January in Everton’s 2-1 win against Wolves at the Molineux.