Image:Victor Anichebe: Striker hit a number of important goals for Everton last season
Victor Anichebe is confident he has finally put his injury worries behind him and is hoping to cement a first team place for Everton this season.
Striker is aiming for his best season yet for the club
Victor Anichebe is confident he has finally put his injury worries behind him and is hoping to cement a first team place for Everton this season.
The 24-year-old has previously struggled to hold down a regular place in the first team with niggling fitness problems plaguing his career so far.
The talented striker seems to have hit a purple patch this year though and has not looked back since making a goalscoring return from the treatment table on New Year's Day at West Brom.
Anichebe scored a further four goals in an extended run of league games that played a big part in Everton's strong run-in.
And having featured heavily in the club's pre-season matches this summer the striker is looking forward to the big kick-off against Manchester United on 18 August.
"Everton have always been good for me," he told the club's official website. "When I have come back from injury, they've brought me in gradually.
"Hopefully this year I can cement a place. I think I need to be starting games now. Maybe if it wasn't for my injuries, I already would be and I'd be fit all the time.
"But that's already happened - I put that into the past. I'm 24 now, so I think it's the time where I'm supposed to mature into whatever position and kind of player I am.
"Hopefully people will see more of that now and I can start starting more games and put all my injuries behind me - I pray to God that I do anyway. Everything from there will be fine, I'm sure."
