An explanation for the absence of Michael Keane from Everton’s latest matchday squad has been provided on Sunday afternoon.

The Toffees are of course primed to return to action in short order.

Amid their ongoing battle to stave off relegation to the Championship, Frank Lampard’s troops have welcomed Thomas Frank’s Brentford to Goodison Park, hopeful of making it four successive outings without defeat.

In turn, it came as a major surprise when, upon the club’s squad to take on the Bees being unveiled, a key member of Everton’s backline was nowhere to be seen.

The player in question? Michael Keane.

Speaking ahead of kick-off on Merseyside, Frank Lampard was therefore inevitably drawn on the whereabouts of his central defender.

And Everton’s boss went on to reveal that Keane’s absence on Sunday comes owing to the former Manchester United man coming down with a last-minute bout of illness:

 

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