David Moyes provides injury updates ahead of Man United clash

Everton will continue to miss a host of players heading into the clash against Manchester United at Goodison Park on Saturday but will be bolstered by the return of Abdoulaye Doucoure. The midfielder, who picked up two yellow cards in that feisty Merseyside derby, was suspended for the 2-0 win over Crystal Palace away from home.

New signing Charly Alcaraz, who started in place of Doucoure and grabbed a goal and assist in that match, won’t make it easy for the Malian international to return to the starting XI. 

Speaking on the selection conundrum, David Moyes stressed that he is counting on both of them given the injuries that the Toffees are contending with."We've got them both fit at the moment so that gives us a decision to make. We'll look at it and I'll need both of them – we're really short of numbers here,” said Moyes in the pre-match press conference.

"I think I've got nine or 10 players out injured so for us to be getting results with that amount of players out is great credit to the players who are playing at the moment. I don't think we have any additional injuries, and I don't think, at the moment, we have anyone coming back from injury."
Moyes also shared a promising update on Iliman Ndiaye. Currently out with a knee ligament injury, the winger is taking injections to recover from the issue and could return to the field ahead of the recovery timeline discussed.

Meanwhile, Nathan Patterson and Youssef Chermiti, struggling with hamstring and thigh injuries respectively, are back on the grass but still have a long road ahead of them to make it back into the playing XI.

"Ili [Ndiaye] has been taking injections and we're quite positive that he's working hard to get back quickly, so we're hoping we can get him back maybe before than the time we thought – but they're not fit just now.

"Nathan Patterson has come out on the grass the past couple of days but we think it's just too soon for him. He's making some progress. Chermiti is back on the grass as well. He's had two days on the grass. I think just the length of time he's been out for is what we're a little bit more worried about. He's done quite a bit of training but not football training yet, but we've got him back in and around the training group at the moment."

Seamus Coleman, out with a calf problem, might be able to make an appearance before the end of the season, Moyes revealed. "I would absolutely hope so because I'd like that for many reasons. But we always have to do the right thing and play the players who are going to get us the best results. The first thing Seamus has to do is get himself back fit.

"He's a huge member of the dressing room, a huge member of the team – he leads the team brilliantly well here. From a distance, it looks as if he helped carry the Club over a couple of years as well – he's a great spokesman for the team and for the Club. He's really important to me. We brought him here for 60 grand – we probably paid a bit much for him but, apart from that, we're really glad to have him!"

Dwight McNeil (knee), Armando Broja (ankle), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (hamstring), and Orel Mangala (knee) also remain unavailable at the moment.

 

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