Updated Vitalii Mykolenko’s Premier League season is over after he rolled his ankle badly late in the first half of last week’s Goodison derby but he appears to have avoided the need for surgery to repair the damage.
The full-back sustained the injury when Liverpool's Darwin Nuñez collided with him in the area and left him crumpled on the turf in visible pain, but he returned to the pitch for a few minutes to hobble through the remainder of the half.
Everton did not immediately reveal the extent of Mykolenko's injury, with Sean Dyche telling reporters on Thursday that the medical staff were waiting for the injury to "settle down" before the player could undergo scans, but the initial prognosis is a minimum of six weeks out of action.
Ukrainian journalist, Viktor Vatsko, claimed yesterday that Club doctors were recommending surgery to fix torn ankle ligaments which would rule Mykolenko out of this summer's European Championships.
However, following a consultation with a specialist, the former Dynamo Kiev player has been told that he can likely recover without going under the knife in the hope of being fit enough to play for his country in Germany in June.
Regardless, he won't play a part in any of Everton's three remaining Premier League matches having made 34 appearances in all competitions for the Toffees.
Mykolenko confirmed via Instagram:
"Firstly I want to say to everyone thank you very much for the words of support, I read everything and see. I do not need surgery and now my goal is to recover as soon as possible and I hope to see you at the Euros.
"For Evertonians, you have been amazing this season, particularly in derby. That's why I stood up after the twist and played as much as I could. See you next season, Toffees."
Source: Sport (Ukraine) via Sport Witness
Reader Comments (23)
Note: the following content is not moderated or vetted by the site owners at the time of submission. Comments are the responsibility of the poster. Disclaimer ()
2 Posted 29/04/2024 at 19:51:14
3 Posted 29/04/2024 at 20:03:53
A bad blow indeed, especially against them. Hope all goes well!
4 Posted 29/04/2024 at 20:11:02
5 Posted 29/04/2024 at 20:17:03
But him not playing in the Euros is good news for Everton.
6 Posted 29/04/2024 at 20:19:35
Gives his young understudy the chance for more game time.
7 Posted 29/04/2024 at 20:37:48
8 Posted 29/04/2024 at 20:50:54
Solid defender who seems to be growing in the team.
9 Posted 29/04/2024 at 21:07:54
Just get back to your best, Myko.
10 Posted 29/04/2024 at 21:18:08
When I saw the tackle and him going off later, I thought his season was over there and then.
11 Posted 29/04/2024 at 21:20:58
When he performs the way I know he will, he will have many bids for him. I also don't question his motivation and don't think he personally needs this to help develop or grow.
Mykolenko is nowhere near everyone's radar and I'd like to keep him our secret
12 Posted 29/04/2024 at 22:42:31
"Give his understudy, Young, the chance for more game time".
13 Posted 29/04/2024 at 22:55:14
On another site he is the hot choice for being Unsung Hero of the Season.
And in all of this, he must be getting weekly reports of his school friends who are being injured or killed by the Russian invaders. Not sure how I could put in the sort of performances he has this year when that is going on in his head. "If I was not as good at football as I am, I would probably be facing bullets like my mates".
He is not an unsung hero, he is a hero.
14 Posted 29/04/2024 at 23:41:33
15 Posted 30/04/2024 at 01:57:47
16 Posted 30/04/2024 at 06:10:28
I like Vitalli a lot. Committed, full of desire and as I keep saying, he always the first over to the supporters and giving his shirt to a young fan.
Playing for Everton means a lot for him as will playing for his country.
Speedy recovery.
17 Posted 30/04/2024 at 09:32:13
Hope he recovers soon – we need him fit and ready to play next season.
18 Posted 30/04/2024 at 09:46:06
19 Posted 30/04/2024 at 11:22:27
Lateral ankle ligament injuries usually heal as well without surgery.
20 Posted 30/04/2024 at 13:04:54
I hope he is healthy and fit to give his best in representing Ukraine in the coming international tournament. He is young enough to be an even better player come the World Cup 2026, if Ukraine qualify. His dedication and talent allows for even more development.
Its a short career compared to normal human lifespan isn't it. So I hope he overcomes this bump in the road and goes on to have a beaming smile as part of a trophy winning team in the new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock!
We just need the suitable investor to scoop up this amazing opportunity to lead us into the Bright Blue future on the Banks of the Royal Blue Mersey!
If someone has a spare £2 billion for an Everton rescue and relaunch, it could be the best £2 billion ever spent. Come on Jeff, Elon or Bill (Gates!) You know it makes sense. UTFT ðŸ™
21 Posted 30/04/2024 at 13:53:54
Let's accept as good, positive news and hope he is fit and flying come August. His development at Goodison has been excellent. Let's wish for the same for Patterson.
22 Posted 30/04/2024 at 14:45:21
They are not as good when you have to explain them, as my Dad always says.
23 Posted 02/05/2024 at 04:56:46
Hope it heals so he can represent Ukraine in the Euros and then he can rest up until preseason.
Add Your Comments
In order to post a comment, you need to be logged in as a registered user of the site.
Or Sign up as a ToffeeWeb Member — it's free, takes just a few minutes and will allow you to post your comments on articles and Talking Points submissions across the site.
How to get rid of these ads and support TW
1 Posted 29/04/2024 at 19:29:41