Micah Richards sends message to Everton striker Calvert-Lewin after surgery claim made
Michah Richards can sympathise with what Dominic Calvert-Lewin is currently going through and believes the Everton striker has become an “easy target” for critics.
Calvert-Lewin lasted just 38 minutes on his first start of the season after sustaining a facial injury in the 4-0 loss to Everton on Sunday [20 August].
The England international has started just 15 Premier League games in each of the past two campaigns due to a number of injury setbacks.
But Richards, who was forced to retire early due to injuries, hopes to see Calvert-Lewin soon return to action and find some form.
“I’ve been in this position and I can sympathise,” he said on The Rest Is Football podcast [21 August, 32:20]. “Over the past 18 months, because Calvert-Lewin is quite fashionable and is seen on the front of magazines, now people say that he’s not concentrating on his football.
“It’s not fair to judge someone just because they do that. The reason why the manager has put him in is because he believes in him and he’s working hard to come back.
“But unfortunately he’s going through one of those times where he can’t get anything right and that can play on your mental health.
“It’s very difficult when people are constantly saying negative things about you because then you start thinking negatively.
“He just needs one goal, get his confidence back and no injuries and we can all see what a good player he is. But I just hope people stop judging him outside of the field because it’s an easy target.”
Fingers crossed
Calvert-Lewin finally appeared to put his niggling injury problems behind him to start against Villa, only for a suffer a setback of a different kind as he took a blow to the face.
Injury expert Ben Dinnery reported on Tuesday [22 August] that Calvert-Lewin sustained a fractured cheekbone in the collision with Emi Martinez and is following the Football Association’s concussion protocols.
That could potentially mean Calvert-Lewin is available to face Wolves on Saturday [26 August], but if it is more severe than initially thought, surgery is a possibility.
Dyche will be desperate to get the 26-year-old on the field – not just against Wolves but for a run of games ahead of the international break.
Calvert-Lewin remains Everton’s best striker and could be the difference between whether they stay up or go down this season on the basis of their opening two games.
Everton supporters will now have their fingers crossed that the Englishman is officially declared fit to start the huge showdown with Wolves next weekend.
In other Everton news, the Toffees have reportedly been joined by AC Milan in the race for a player they are eager to sign.