Everton loanee Ellis Simms given injury update by Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray
Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has given an injury update on Everton loanee Ellis Simms and it’s not the news Evertonians will want to hear.
Simms joined Sunderland on a season-long loan for the 2022/2023 season and got off to an impressive start at the Stadium of Light.
Nevertheless, the forward suffered a toe injury which now seems to be worse than first feared and Mowbray has confessed that Sunderland need to be “cautious” with him.
Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, Mowbray said the striker’s situation won’t be “changing” in the next few weeks, a damming blow considering it was thought he’d be back in action by now.
“We have to be cautious with him. If you picture the injury, it’s his big toe, it’s a ligament and it needs some time to settle down,” said Mowbray.
“If it was a cup final, the last day of the season, and we needed to win, we’d probably play him. But that’s not the case. Give him the time he needs, a couple of weeks, and hopefully we’ll have some news.”
Uncertainty.
Mowbray’s uncertainty over Simms’ injury has been going on for weeks now, which makes you worry whether it is much worse than he’s been letting on.
This is bad news for Simms and the Blues, the forward needed some consistent performances in the Championship if he had any chance of convincing Frank Lampard at some playing time next season.
Simms certainly has the ability to be a valued member of the Everton squad but if his injury concerns continue the club will likely invest in a new forward in January or the summer.
Unfortunately for Simms, this is just how things work out in football and clubs must reinvest in reliable talents if they’re to compete in the English top tier.
Fingers crossed that Simms can get back in the next “few weeks” as Mowbray suggested, but this is the same rhetoric the Sunderland manager was saying three weeks ago.