Seamus Coleman made his return to the Premier League on Wednesday evening playing the full 90 minutes in Everton’s 2-1 win over Leicester City at Goodison Park.
The Republic of Ireland captain made his first league appearance for Everton since the club’s 4-0 win over Hull City in March 2017 after spending the last 313 days sidelined with a broken leg.
Coleman played 45 minutes of football for the under-23s last week which earned him a spot in the Everton starting line-up for Wednesday’s visit of Leicester.
The 29-year-old impressed upon return and noted that it would be a night that he would not forget.
“It’s great to get the kit on and be out there,” Coleman told Ocean FM after the match.
“I had to blank out a little bit of the reception I got because I needed to focus fully on the job at hand.
“Now that the game is done I can appreciate the response I got from the fans. It’s a night I won’t forget.”
Everton manager Sam Allardyce said that it was great to have Coleman back in the side and added that he was impressed with how he combined with new signing Theo Walcott down the Toffees right wing, with Walcott netting a brace to snap a seven game winless streak for the hosts.
🎥 | Sam Allardyce gives his verdict on tonight's "massive win" against @LCFC. #EFCmatchday pic.twitter.com/MwUM2V4dGk
— Everton (@Everton) January 31, 2018
“Of course, I have to mention the man everybody loves here, which is Seamus Coleman,” Allardyce told Everton TV.
“The instant combination and work he did with Theo Walcott was a pleasure for them to see and for me to see.
“There was no intention to leave him on for 90 minutes, in our minds, but when you saw him do that 80-yard run at the end, you went ‘wow!’
“Out for ten months, first game back, and then in the last two minutes of the game he runs 80 yards with the ball… I think his legs were so tired at the end of it he could hardly kick it.”
Elsewhere France international centre-back Eliaquim Mangala has completed a loan move to Everton from Manchester City.
Managala will stay at Goodison Park for the remainder of the 2017/18 campaign, subject to clearance from the Premier League.
The 26-year-old has featured nine times in the Premier League this season and was a key figure in City’s run to the 2015/16 Champions League semi-finals.
