Frank Lampard facing fitness challenges in crucial spell that will decide Everton fate

Frank Lampard and his coaches are set for a major challenge to manage the Everton squad over a critical period of five games in just 14 days.

The season will end in relentless fashion for the Blues, whose Premier League status will be decided over the final fortnight. That busy conclusion comes at the end of a campaign in which Everton have been ravaged by injuries.

The impact of those injuries have hampered Lampard since his arrival in January and will continue to be a factor between now and the season-ending trip to Arsenal on May 22. Chief among the dilemmas faced by the Blues boss is the fitness of Yerry Mina. The centre back's return was heralded as a potential turning point in the relegation battle, with Mina immediately selected for the starting line-up against Leicester City following his recovery. He was then rested for the trip to Anfield alongside Fabian Delph, who had returned after months out in the previous game against Manchester United.

Lampard later explained both were left out in order to manager their returns to the first team with the wider fixture schedule in mind. He said: "Difficult decisions, they came in and have both been really effective. Delph for two games, Yerry for one. Yerry was a bit stiff and tight two days after the game. It's normal when you've been out for 10 weeks and with his history it was a decision made with a though process of the next games coming up. Delph was similar. They're important players for us and we took them out and the players who came in did well."

Mina and Delph then started at home to Chelsea on Sunday, both playing key roles in the 1-0 win. Whether they can tolerate so many games in such a short period will dictate Lampard's tactics, potentially forcing him