Liverpool handed boost as Everton dealt injury blow ahead of Merseyside derby

Liverpool handed boost as Everton dealt injury blow ahead of Merseyside derby

After a strong start under their new manager, Everton is eager to build on Sean Dyche’s first victory, but he confronts selection issues before facing Liverpool in the Merseyside derby.

After missing Everton’s training for a fourth day this week due to injury, Dominic Calvert-Lewin appears to be out of the derby.

Liverpool FC (Getty images)

The England star’s significant contribution to the Blues’ decisive victory against Arsenal last Saturday came at a price, according to manager Sean Dyche, who said they took a calculated risk by allowing him to play.

That appears to have made a hamstring injury worse, and Dyche said it doesn’t look good for Monday night’s matchup with Liverpool.

“It will be touch and go at best for the Liverpool game. We’ll just have to monitor it now and hope it settles down sooner rather than later,” he new boss explained.

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“He put a real shift in, his stats were very good in the last game but unfortunately he’s got a niggly hamstring. But he has a desire to get back to his best – we saw that in the Arsenal performance.

“He’s had a fair few ups and downs with injuries and we’ve spoken about that, we are trying to align it with a lot of different things, not just the injured area.

“It’s a question of getting the body right, so you don’t even have to think about your fitness.”

While Dyche admitted his striker’s absence would be a blow, he revealed that his squad are buoyant after their win, and lifted by a visit to the training ground this week by Everton legend Peter Reid.

Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin looks set to miss Monday’s Merseyside derby through injury

The new manager revealed it is part of his plan to get leading coaches and ex players to come and share their experience with his squad, with the likes of former England rugby boss Eddie Jones, and even business leaders lined up to come in.

“I like the idea of the historic figures of the club being part of it still. Embracing the past and looking to the future,” he said.

“It is never wrong to speak to Peter Reid. If anyone asks ‘who is that little fella there?’, I will say he had a heart as big as a bison and he could play.

“I asked Graeme Sharp as well, and hopefully Big Joe Royle will, too. Brian Kidd is another. And other coaches. Hopefully Eddie Jones will come in. People I know in sport and business, just to get ideas.”

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