Everton boss Sean Dyche has offered Michael Keane hope for a first team return.

Dyche spent three years working with Keane at Burnley and has been working behind the scenes to ensure the defender is soon in a position of being ready to play if required.

Explaining the course of action being taken by the club to support Keane's progress, the Everton manager said: "I spoke to him last week about him getting his true fitness. We had a behind-closed-doors game in the week, which was really valuable for us for staff and for the players to lock in some minutes. He just needs that and the training.

"We have changed since when he was last with us, but he knows roughly how we work and the expectation we have got of the players physically and is looking to adapt towards that.

"He certainly looked sharp the other day and he knows there is a depth to his fitness that still needs to improve, but is working hard."