Frank Lampard confirms Vitalii Mykolenko Everton decision and gives Donny van de Beek injury update

Frank Lampard has confirmed that Vitalii Mykolenko will start against Boreham Wood and provided an update on the fitness of Donny van de Beek.

Mykolenko’s native Ukraine has been invaded by Russia with the defender watching Saturday's defeat to Manchester City on Saturday from the bench.

Everton have offered their full support to Mykolenko, who only joined the club in January from Dynamo Kyiv, with fans also unveiling a banner of support ahead the game with City.

And Lampard has revealed that the left-back was always set to start tomorrow’s game against the National League club at Goodison Park.

He said: "[Mykolenko] will play tomorrow. That was a decision I made regardless of the outside situation - purely on a football decision.

"Of course, you have to be very aware of the life decision for him at the moment and he will play. We'll see about any kind of gesture but the fact is he's starting the game and that's the decision.

"I don't want to answer those questions for him [whether or not football is helping at the moment], but it feels like the training and potential of playing is a relief.

"The conversations I've had - I'd rather keep private, because they are delicate. But we're giving him all the support and I'm sure he feels that from our end.

"He's also a new player here. There are so many things that have happened to him - he's a young man coming over here, moving to a new country, different city, different football club and he's now having to contend with all of this.

"He has all of our support."

Midway through the second period of Saturday's 1-0 defeat, and after needing some treatment inside his own box, Van de Beek was replaced by Dele Alli.

Lampard admitted after the game that he hoped the Dutchman was