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Luke Garbutt has been urged to take his first-team chance at Everton after returning to the fold under Sam Allardyce.

The 24-year-old started training with the senior squad again last week with Big Sam keen to run the rule over the left-back.

Garbutt’s last first-team appearance for the Blues came in May 2015 in a home defeat by Sunderland.

But Garbutt, it is understood, is in contention to officially regain his place in the first-team set-up when Everton submit their new squad list to the Premier League next month.

Allardyce, Steve Walsh and the coaching staff watched the defender from the stands at Goodison on Tuesday night as he played for the under-23s against Portsmouth.

Garbutt - who been sent on loan four times during his Blues career - was frozen out by Ronald Koeman but Allardyce promised to take a look at the former England youth international.

And with the Blues struggling to sign a new left-back before deadline day, u-23s boss David Unsworth has urged Garbutt to seize his opportunity.

“I can’t speak highly enough of him,” he said.

“He’s been with us for six months now, he’s acquitted himself really well in training, he’s fitter now, we’ve done so much work on his defensive side.

“We all know his quality in the final third and from a dead-ball situation – that’s there for everyone to see.

“He’s certainly worked hard to get his opportunity to be training with the first-team squad.”

Asked how Garbutt feels he’s done on his first-team return thus far, Unsworth said: “He’s says he’s done ok, he feels comfortable and it’s great he’s up with the first-team now.

“It’s up to him to take that opportunity as and when it arises.”