David Moyes faces a major personnel crisis as injuries to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack Grealish, coupled with AFCON departures, leave Everton potentially missing seven key players against Arsenal.
Everton manager David Moyes is grappling with a severe selection crisis as he prepares his squad for Saturday’s high-stakes visit from Premier League leaders Arsenal.
The Toffees could be without as many as seven first-team players for the match at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium.
In addition to long-term absentees Jarrad Branthwaite, Seamus Coleman, and Merlin Röhl, the club has been hit by a wave of fresh fitness concerns following their recent defeat at Chelsea.
The most pressing concerns center on key creative duo Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jack Grealish, both of whom are battling hamstring issues.
Dewsbury-Hall was withdrawn just 16 minutes into the Chelsea match, while Grealish reported discomfort following the final whistle.
Addressing the situation, Moyes stated: “Jack felt his hamstring so we just need to be careful with these boys.” He also noted that Dewsbury-Hall had entered the previous game with “tightness” before aggravating the injury.
Further complicating matters is the departure of Idrissa Gana Gueye and Iliman Ndiaye for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The loss of these influential midfielders, combined with the mounting injury list, leaves Everton’s attacking options significantly depleted.
While Jarrad Branthwaite and Merlin Röhl have returned to light training on the grass, they are not expected to be match-ready for the weekend, leaving Moyes to potentially rely on youngsters like Tyler Dibling for the clash.