Vitaliy Mykolenko: "Holland is the best player in the Premier League now"

Everton's Ukrainian defender Vitaliy Mykolenko answered questions from the famous British TV channel Sky Sports.

- Who is the strongest winger you have played against?

- I can name three players: Salah, Saka and Bernardo Silva.

- Or can you choose one?

- Salah, then.

- Why Salah? What are his strengths?

- He runs very fast with the ball, he runs straight at you. It scares me a bit, and other defenders(smiles).

- Who is the best player in the English Championship right now?

- Holland, I think.

- Why do you think Holland is the best right now?

- He is able to finish perfectly. In our recent game, he scored two goals, he has a great sense of scoring chances.

- Do you like playing against such strong players as Salah and Holland? Why do you like playing against them?

- Of course, it's great to play against such opponents. You have the opportunity to constantly progress and improve. It's a great opportunity to demonstrate that you can play at this level - and this is the top level.

- Who do you consider to be the best full-back of all time?

- I think Marcelo. When I was still young and playing at the Dynamo Kyiv Academy, we used to watch Real Madrid vs Barcelona. I've always liked Barcelona, but Marcelo was just unbeatable.

- Do you try to imitate Marcelo in your game?

- No(smiles). It's completely different.

- Do you already know how to say something in a Scouser accent?

- You are all right, lad? This is a phrase our goalkeeper Pickford always says. Every legionnaire in the team jokes about the local accent.

- What is your favourite hobby?

- I like fishing and video games. I have already been fishing twice in England: the first time with my father, and then on my own - I spent 24 hours by the water, also cooking.

- What is Everton's head coach Sean Dyche like in everyday life?

- By the way, he also likes fishing, but we do it separately(smiles).

- What famous person's mobile number is in your smartphone?

- Oleksandr Usyk's.

- Could you please tell us what Usyk means to you and Ukraine?

- He is a strong personality, Oleksandr helps Ukrainians a lot. I think he is the most famous Ukrainian athlete today. Usyk represents Ukraine all over the world. I hope that in the upcoming fight with Fury, it will be Oleksandr who wins.

- Which of the legends of the past would you like to play against in the Premier League?

- If I choose Leighton Baines, I won't play, because he played in my position(smiles). But he's really a landmark, not only in the Premier League, but in all of English football. I'd also like to play against David Silva, Oleksandr Zinchenko told me a lot about him.

- They say you are a great table tennis player?

- I used to play when I was a kid, but not anymore. I had a dream of becoming a tennis player, but then I preferred football.

- Is Jordan Pickford the most fun player at Everton?

- No, Nathan Patterson is. He's always loud in the dressing room, but he's always positive.

- If you could pick one Everton player to be stuck with on a desert island, who would it be?

- I think it would be Jared Brentwood. We have a great relationship, we play alongside each other in defence. We understand each other very well.

Translation and adaptation by Volodymyr Bobyr, Dynamo.kiev.ua