At Goodison Park, the list of injuries is getting longer.
In addition to fighting to survive in the Premier League, Everton is currently dealing with a bit of an injury crisis. As if a points deduction-driven relegation battle wasn’t awful enough.
Latest Everton injury news
Sitting just one point adrift of safety, the next fourteen games have become a race to retain their topflight status and stave off any further sanctions from the league. In what will be a momentous challenge for the Toffees, it is vital that manager, Sean Dyche, has his full squad available for the run-in.
Everton’s list of first-team players sidelined is becoming longer after Ben Godfrey hobbled out during the second half of Saturday’s 2-0 loss to Man City. With a calf injury, Andre Gomes will be out for some time, but Abdoulaye Doucoure will soon be back on the field following a hamstring injury.
Amadou Onana and Seamus Coleman, who both played in the defeat at Etihad Stadium, have returned, which is encouraging news on the injury front. The Toffees supporters will be dismayed to learn that despite this, they will be missing a player for crucial matches against Brighton and Crystal Palace.
Aranut Danjuma injury update
Following Saturday’s game, the Liverpool Echo reported a new injury blow from Dyche on Aranut Danjuma, who admitted the forward looks likely to remain unavailable for the next two weeks due to the ankle issue he suffered against Fulham, missing the upcoming two games in the process. Life on Merseyside has not been easy for the Dutchman, with 20 appearances yielding just two goals for the 27-year-old.
Despite recent struggles, Danjuma’s quality is clear with 25 goal contributions in 37 games for Bournemouth back in the 2020/21 season, first putting him on the radar of English fans. Whilst falling just short of promotion from the Championship after losing to Brentford, two goals for Danjuma in the semi-final ties showed that his future lay beyond England’s second tier.
Another prosperous run ensued, this time with Spanish team Villarreal. It was during his tenure in Spain that he received praise from Unai Emery, the manager at the time. Emery, who is currently in charge of Aston Villa, discussed potential transfer ties with his former player with media last year.
Now back in England with Everton, Danjuma’s impact stretches well beyond his single league goal this season. The forward stands out as an important part of the Toffees attack, taking almost four shots per 90, the fourth most among his teammates. As per Fbref, the Dutchman, is also a danger with the ball at his feet, ranking fourth in his side for successful take-ons and second for progressive carries per 90.
Whilst only without Danjuma for two games, Everton fans will likely have earmarked these upcoming fixtures as opportunities to pick up some much-needed points. As Everton attempt to retain their status as just one of six sides to have never been relegated from the Premier League, there is no doubt that Danjuma may have a part to play in this fight.
