Sean Dyche rules three players out of Everton clash v Tottenham in Premier League
Everton manager Sean Dyche has confirmed that Ashley Young, Abdoulaye Doucoure and Seamus Coleman are not likely to return to action for Saturday’s (23 December) trip to Tottenham.
Full-back Young has missed the Toffees’ past two matches through injury, central midfielder Doucoure played no part in the midweek EFL Cup tie with Fulham, while Seamus Coleman has played just once all season.
While it is bad news for those three on the injury front, Vitaliy Mykolenko is in contention to feature against Tottenham in North London.
“Mykolenko is back in the thinking,” Dyche said at Thursday’s (21 December) pre-match news conference, as per the club’s official Twitter page.
“Seamus is touch-and-go – he may need a few more days in training. Young is making progress but won’t be available for this one.
“Doucoure, not for this one. We’ll see, he’s making good progress – he’s a good healer.”
Dele Alli is also confirmed out for Everton as he recovers from a long-term lay-off, while Andre Gomes is also not expected to play any part.
Welcome return
Having Doucoure back available would have been a welcome boost for Dyche, likewise with Young and Coleman, but Everton have the options to ensure those players are not missed too much.
Nathan Patterson will likely start at right-back against Spurs, while Idrissa Gueye, James Garner and Amadou Onana are all available in central midfield.
What may not be so easy to replace in the side is the goals that Doucoure brings – six in 17 league outings this season – so Dyche must decide whether to bring in someone like Beto to play off Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
Mykolenko’s return is big as it means Dyche can use natural full-backs, rather than having to shoehorn wingers or central defenders out wide.
Even with some players missing, and on the back of a disappointing cup defeat in midweek, Everton can make the trip to the capital full of confidence of picking up a result.
In other Everton news, a Toffees player was said to be “furious” with one of his team-mates after what he did in the Fulham game.