SYLVAIN DISTIN has hailed the imminent return of midfielder Darron Gibson – as he insisted the Blues need him more than ever.
The Republic of Ireland international is in contention to make his first-team comeback for the Blues against Norwich at Goodison Park on Saturday.
And Distin admits he is relieved at the prospect of having the 25-year-old back, especially in the absence of skipper Phil Neville – who is expected to be out for up to two months after undergoing knee surgery last week.
Distin played alongside Gibson – who has missed the last eight games with a thigh problem – as he came through a 63-minute run-out in Sunday’s under-21 game against Reading and was impressed by his team-mate’s sharpness.
“He hasn’t played for a while now, nearly three months, so he did well,” he said. “His passing seems to be sharp so I think he’s doing good.
“I think we’ve missed him. He’s really important in our squad and we don’t have a big squad, so obviously if we can get a player back that will be beneficial.
