Everton: Vinny O’Connor shares Idrissa Gueye injury return timeframe live on Sky Sports
Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye will miss “at least the next couple of weeks” with a calf injury, according to Vinny O’Connor.
The reporter provided the update from outside the Toffees’ Finch Farm training base on Sky Sports News [28 December, 2:23pm].
Gueye sustained the injury during the first half of Everton’s 2-1 defeat at Tottenham on 23 December and sat out the subsequent 3-1 loss to Manchester City.
O’Connor said: “There is a little bit of disappointing news around Idrissa Gueye, albeit it is better than first thought.
“He’s got a calf injury that will keep him out for at least the next couple of weeks.”
Not ideal
Sean Dyche had already confirmed at his pre-match news conference that Gueye will play no part against Wolves on Saturday (30 December).
“He’s certainly not fit for this weekend,” Dyche said [28 December]. “We’ll see how that improves, but early signs are better than first thought.”
This update from O’Connor is the first time a more definitive date has been set for Gueye’s return – likely after the FA Cup third-round tie with Crystal Palace on 4 January.
Being without the Senegal international for three matches is not ideal, especially at a time when Abdoulaye Doucoure is also nursing an injury.
It may well be that Doucoure returns against Wolves, so Gueye’s absence will not be felt quite as much with James Garner and Amadou Onana also available.
That said, Dyche will of course be eager to get Gueye back up and running as soon as possible, with this two-week prediction hopefully the worst-case scenario.
In other Everton news, two Toffees regulars were not involved in full training ahead of the Wolves match.