CHARLTON: EVANS MAY FRESHEN UNITED UP

CHARLTON: EVANS MAY FRESHEN UNITED UP

The head coach provides team news ahead of Saturday's Elland Road clash...

Steve Evans hopes to have the option to "freshen the team up" for Saturday’s final home game of the season against Charlton Athletic and believes his side should feel the benefit of going without a midweek fixture for the first time this month.

United will be without Gaetano Berardi, though, with the full-back sidelined for the remaining two matches of the campaign after suffering slight ligament damage during last Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Hull City.

Midfielder Alex Mowatt returns to contention to face the Addicks at Elland Road following the completion of his three-match ban and, Berardi aside, Evans has no fresh injury concerns for his side’s penultimate fixture of 2015/16.

“The squad’s in good shape,” he said. “Obviously, we’ve got Alex Mowatt back available for selection after missing three games through suspension. He’s trained particularly well.

“We’re hoping that everybody is out there today who should be out there, giving us the option to freshen the team up.

“I think the one advantage we’ve had this week, after a hectic schedule, is that we’ve been free from midweek action.

“We’ve been able to give the boys an additional day off and let them be fully focused and ready to face a team who, I think, will be problematic unless we deal with them. We’re looking forward to it.”

Jordan Botaka is pushing for his first start since October after catching the eye as a substitute in United’s last two outings, something which has not gone unnoticed by the head coach.

“He’s certainly given himself an opportunity to have a future here,” said Evans.

“You can never decide after 10-15 minutes and a second half at Hull, but what I do know is that the kid came on against Wolves with a real point to prove – and I felt he made it.

“That 10-15 minutes against Wolves allowed me to think more positively about putting him in the team at half-time at Hull.

“I thought he had a really industrious second half and it was even better when he set up the equalising goal.

“I’m pleased for Jordan, he’s a lovely kid and he’s a good professional. He hurts when he’s not in the team.

“As a head coach, that’s what you want – you have to hurt when you’re not in the team.”

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