Neal Maupay will be playing for his Everton future against Liverpool amid Dominic Calvert-Lewin injury scare
Goal-shy Neal Maupay may well be playing for his Everton future in the Merseyside Derby, following Sean Dyche’s injury update on key man Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
The Toffees got their new era under Sean Dyche off to the perfect start after an impressive and hard-thought 1-0 win over Premier League leaders Arsenal at Goodison Park [4 February] thanks to a James Tarkowski 60th-minute header.
However, the win may have come as a bittersweet pill for the former Burnley boss who was forced to withdraw Calvert-Lewin soon after the goal following another injury scare.
The former Clarets boss said afterwards that it was a precautionary measure, in light of a hamstring concern for the injury-hit striker, with a scan due in the week.
The Toffees face another crucial Premier League encounter against their fierce Merseyside rivals Liverpool on Monday, and Dyche may well be without his key performer following his latest update.
Dyche said, via the Liverpool Echo [5 February]: “We will have to wait and see. I don’t think it is a drastic one but he needs to settle it down so we will probably give it two days before we scan it just as a precaution at this stage.”
It will indeed be a cruel blow for the former Burnley manager if his key man isn’t available against Liverpool, which means he may well be forced to turn to goal-shy striker Neal Maupay who’s so far endured a disappointing first season at Goodison Park.
There Toffees were in desperate need of attacking reinforcements in January but failed to add to Dyche’s squad upon his arrival a day earlier. And whatever happens, come to the end of the season, the new Toffees boss will certainly be looking to overhaul his squad this summer.
In such a pivotal and decisive clash against struggling Liverpool on Monday, the onus will be on Maupay to fire the Toffees to another fine performance and result if Calvert-Lewin isn’t fit for the game at Anfield.
The 26-year-old has looked like a shadow of his former self at Brighton and Hove Albion whom he left to join the Toffees last summer and hasn’t found the back of the net since scoring the winner in the 1-0 win over West Ham in September.
The player may well be fighting for his Everton future on Monday, and another poor performance could well mean the Toffees decide to ditch him this summer.
Dyche is known to get the utmost from every player in his squad throughout his career, and he’ll be expecting 110% from a player who has shown he can work hard and deliver when it matters most.
Maupay hasn’t been handed enough consistent starts this season to show his best form, but playing for Everton comes with significant pressure and that will again come to the fore when he potentially lines up against Liverpool on Monday.