Everton journalist for The Athletic Patrick Boyland has shared an injury boost involving Mason Holgate.

The Lowdown: In training

Holgate shared last week that he is back in training ahead of a potential return to first-team action after his injury lay-off.

The central defender has been out of action since August with a knee injury, after starting the Merseyside club's first four matches of the Premier League campaign (Transfermarkt).

The Latest: In squad

Taking to Twitter, Boyland has shared a double injury boost for the Goodison Park outfit ahead of their trip to Newcastle United tonight, as while Ben Godfrey is also back in training, Holgate is 'set to return' to the squad:

"Mason Holgate set to return to the Everton squad for the trip to Newcastle. Ben Godfrey back doing light training."

[web_stories_embed url="https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/everton-news-8/" title="Everton news!" poster="" width="360" height="600" align="none"]

The Verdict: Boost

It is certainly a boost for Frank Lampard and his squad that Holgate is set to return tonight.

Hailed as 'different class' and backed to be a 'top player' by former Premier League star and BT Sport pundit Peter Crouch, the Englishman actually ranks as the Toffees' sixth-best performer in the top flight so far this season, and Lampard clearly has a lot of faith in him having started him in his opening four matches.

And while both Conor Coady and James Tarkowski are rightfully receiving plenty of plaudits for their recent performances, they need to be challenged, and Holgate could be the perfect player in the squad to do that over the course of the next few fixtures.