Everton have five players ruled out v Southampton, two could return
Everton finally return to Premier League action this weekend as they travel to take on Southampton on Saturday afternoon as October kicks off a busy schedule.
Frank Lampard will have wished that the international break was kinder to him and his squad, with Nathan Patterson the latest to pick up a serious injury blow, which could see him miss the entire month.
Injury Expert, Ben Dinnery has dropped the latest news on seven players, with five certain to miss the trip to St Mary’s with their problems this weekend.
Ben Godfrey, Andros Townsend, Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate, as well as Patterson, are all said to be ruled out with the first two obviously more long-term.
There could be a couple of positives, though.
Jordan Pickford is said to be on the verge of his return after missing out in recent outings, and he could feature against Southampton to take his spot back from Asmir Begovic.
Finally, Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be ready to come in after returning to training and looking good at Finch Farm during the international break.
Brilliant.
It would be easy to concentrate on the negative and the five players ruled out, but that was quite common news that they would be, especially the likes of Godfrey and Townsend.
Instead, it will be huge to have both Calvert-Lewin and Pickford come back into the squad.
The goalkeeper will go straight back into the starting XI if he is ready and there will be no questions asked, with his form simply sensational and possibly even the best of his career over the last couple of years.
Everton having two strikers available of the calibre of both Neal Maupay and Calvert-Lewin would be unheard of given the absolute dreadful luck of our injury situation.
But, that is finally looking as though it could become a reality at Southampton, who may have taken some of that bad luck as we get set to unleash these two – possibly even together at some stage.
This double boost has us as excited as ever for the football to return, and hopefully, it can keep the positive results coming as the Toffees look to rise up that Premier League table.