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Everton face Liverpool in the Merseyside derby at Anfield and Armando Broja has got important minutes under his belt.
Everton have been handed a fitness boost during the international break.
David Moyes has been depleted of attacking options since returning at Toffees manager two months ago. As things stand, Dwight McNeil, Iliman Ndiaye (both knee) and Dominic Calvert-Lewin (hamstring) are all sidelined, while Youssef Chermiti and Armando Broja have missed the majority of Moyes’ matches during his second stint as Goodison Park boss.
Given the injuries that Everton have had to deal with, it makes the recent run of results even more impressive. The Blues have recorded a nine-match unbeaten run in the Premier League and hurtled clear of a relegation battle.
Chermiti and Broja both made returns in Everton’s 1-1 draw against West Ham United before the international break. The pair had a desired impact when coming off the bench to help the Toffees earn a point courtesy of Jake O’Brien’s stoppage-time header.
Broja has had a frustrating period since he moved to Goodison on loan from Chelsea on summer transfer deadline day. He arrived with an Achilles issue that kept him unavailable for three months. Then in January, the forward sustained ankle ligament damage in a 2-0 FA Cup win over Peterborough United and was stretchered off the pitch.
But with nine matches remaining this season, Moyes will be hoping to utilise Broja as best as possible now over his issue. And the Everton boss will be delighted that the 23-year-old got minutes under his belt for Albania during the international break to build further match fitness. Broja came on as a substitute in the 63rd minute of his country’s 2-0 loss against England last Friday before he was handed a surprise start in a 3-0 victory over Andorra. The former Southampton loanee featured in a right-wing role for 76 minutes before being withdrawn.
With Albania in pursuit of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, they will hope that he can remain unscathed for the remainder of the campaign. Kuqezinjte have fixtures against Serbia and Latvia in June. Speaking after the Andorra win, Albania boss Sylvinho said via koha.net: "I'm very happy with Broja. I hope he doesn't suffer any more injuries. I'm happy with all the players who played a very good match.”
Sylvinho then on Broja said via Telegrafi: "We try to see the movements, Broja can adapt very well, he has done it before. [Arber] Hoxha on the other hand, were a team that could open the match. Luckily we did well, they played a very nice match.
"Can Broja be used like this with a stronger team? We see that he has done that role very well in the past. We need to use the player's characteristics and he is very strong, he has movement in depth, he makes entrances into the area because he is very strong. "It depends on the opponent, he can adapt because he has everything, strength, technique, a knack for goal."
Broja will return to Everton as they prepare to face Liverpool in the Merseyside derby on Wednesday 2 April. And the versatile forward will be sharper for the two games that he got under his belt.