Everton defender Mason Holgate has been urged to fight for a place in Frank Lampard's starting XI by ex-BBC pundit Noel Whelan. 

The Lowdown: Holgate's season so far

So far this season, the defender has made just five appearances for the Toffees across the Premier League and Carabao Cup.

A knee injury kept the Englishman out of action for a significant period of the campaign but he has yet to find his way back into the team.

With domestic football set to return towards the end of the month, the 26-year-old has been urged to do all he can to give his manager a headache in regards to his team selections moving forward.

The Latest: Holgate urged to fight for Everton place

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan had this to say about Holgate and his current situation at Goodison Park.

He said: "They’ve gone out and got two centre-backs in the summer, they’ve signed players in the full-back areas as well. He’s got a really massive task on his hands now to get back into this first-team mix.

"When you’re at a certain age and you’ve come through the ranks, signed for a Premier League club after impressing in the Championship – you don’t want to sit on a bench.

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"If he can’t play, he’ll be missing out on some of the best years of his career. So he’s got a decision to make. But personally, if I were a manager – I’d love to see players fighting for a place. Holgate has got to give Lampard a dilemma.

"Hopefully he can be the type of character who can fight for his place and show that bit of desire. That’s what they need right now."

The Verdict: A solid option for Lampard

Despite only appearing in four Premier League games this season, Holgate's performances in those matches were impressive enough for him to currently be listed as Everton's second-highest rated outfield player for this campaign according to WhoScored, with an overall rating of 6.85/10.

In addition to that, the Englishman also finds himself in the top five for the average of tackles (2), interceptions (1.5), clearances (5.5) and blocks (0.5) per game at the Merseyside club this season.

 

Even though Lampard has been relying on the likes of Conor Coady and James Tarkowski at centre-back this season, Holgate certainly has what it takes to be a solid option for the Toffees.

Moving forward, the defender will have to do all he can to convince his manager to give him a shot back in the team and then do his business on the pitch to make sure he stays in the starting XI.