Everton FC

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Anichebe eyes Rams return

03 Apr 2008 - 14:34:32

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Everton striker Victor Anichebe is hoping to be fit for Saturday's Premier League clash with Derby County at Goodison Park.

The Nigeria striker reported back from international duty last week with a mystery illness which ruled him out of the Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool at Anfield.

But after been given the all-clear to return, Anichebe is hoping to play some part against the Rams with fellow strikers Andrew Johnson and James Vaughan absent through injury.

"I came back from the Nigeria game last week on a high and looking forward to the derby,'' he told the club's official website.

"But I could feel myself getting a little ill - I just thought it was nothing. Then during the day I came back I kept getting bad pains in my stomach.

"I tried to sleep it off but I couldn't really eat because it was so bad. So then I had to go into the hospital and I was in there all night on a drip.

"It was a bad experience and I never want to go to hospital again.

"I didn't eat for four days and I wasn't well enough to join the squad in Spain. But now I'm better, so hopefully I can look forward to the next game.

"I still don't feel 100 per cent. I still feel quite weak because I have only just started eating, but hopefully I can get my strength back in time for the weekend."