Everton faces a tough challenge against Chelsea this afternoon following their 3-0 victory over Newcastle earlier this week.
The Toffee manager Sean Dyche is dealing with at least four injury worries, including concerns about Jordan Pickford and Seamus Coleman.
Dyche, speaking on Friday, updated, “We’ll assess Seamus tomorrow [Saturday].
“He has a minor situation, we think, which is unfortunate but that can happen.
He has been out a long time. It’s great to have him back, he wore the armband with pride like he does.
“[Pickford] has just got a niggly thing on his knee. I’ll find out more tomorrow, you never like to talk about it until you find out 24 to 48 hours later. I don’t think it’s anything too serious.”
James Garner is set to return to the Everton squad to face Chelsea despite suffering from a sickness bug.
“Jimmy, I hope [will be available],” said the Toffees’ boss.
“It’s a sickness bug and you never know, but they can pass very quickly. As we know – we’ve all had one – [it can be] 24 hours, but there are some longer ones.
We hope it’s a 24-hour situation, so he’d have time to get food back in himself and feel stronger again.”
Meanwhile, Amadou Onana returned to Everton training after recovering from a calf problem, but the midfielder has missed the Merseyside outfit’s past three fixtures.
“Amadou, we’re hoping will be around it – possibly in the squad – we’ll just have to wait and see how the next couple of days of training go,” Dyche said this week.
Regarding Chelsea, Mauricio Pochettino aims to inspire a response from his players after their loss against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The primary objective for Chelsea remains securing Champions League football for the next season, and Pochettino made a clear statement to supporters this week.
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He said:
“We are going to challenge yes.” when asked about the top four. “Maybe not now but in the future yes.
“Hopefully as soon as possible,” Pochettino added.
Unfortunately for the Blues, Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool appear as shoe-ins for a Champions League qualification spot as they challenge for this season’s Premier League title.
Chelsea currently sit 11 points adrift of the top four and are in desperate need of a consistent run of positive results to help them climb up the table.
Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia could be set to return to the matchday squad this weekend after both have completed a full week of training ahead of the trip to Goodison Park.
Noni Madueke is expected to return to the squad after he was removed from the club’s injury update list this week.
The English winger had sustained a minor injury last week and missed the win against Brighton, as well as the defeat against United.
A victory for Everton won’t elevate them from the 17th position but will widen the gap from the relegation zone.
Similarly, a win for Chelsea won’t alter their position but could provide additional hope to climb higher in the table.
