Frank Lampard confirms double Everton injury boost before Man City

By Conor Laird

Published: February 25, 2022 4:03 pm

Last Updated: February 25, 2022 4:07 pm

Everton boss Frank Lampard has, on Friday afternoon, provided an injury update on his squad, ahead of the club’s meeting with Manchester City.

First on the agenda was the latest on defender Ben Godfrey, forced onto the treatment table on Merseyside earlier this month owing to a hamstring injury.

Lampard, however, confirmed that Godfrey remains some way off a return to the pitch, in explaining:

”Ben Godfrey won’t be back; he’s still a couple of weeks away. He’s progressing well but it was always going to be a five-week injury.”

From here, attentions turned towards fellow absentees of late, Demarai Gray and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

And, in a boost for all associated with the club, the news regarding the two key Toffees stars proved of an altogether more positive nature, with both set to be involved in Lampard’s matchday squad in some capacity.

”Doucoure and Gray they’re both training with us and in the squad”, the Everton boss confirmed. ”Whether they start is an issue for me.”

💪 | A recap of the early #EVEMCI team news from today’s press conference, featuring updates on these two:
— Everton (@Everton) February 25, 2022

Relegation concerns mount

Everton, of course, will be desperate to carve out a positive result for themselves on Saturday, amid the club’s ongoing efforts to stave off what would be a shock relegation to the Championship.

As things stand, the Blues sit just two points clear of 18th-placed Burnley, and could therefore slip into the drop zone depending on results elsewhere over the course of the weekend.

To say that actually securing a three-point haul up against the might of Manchester City will be easier said than done, though, is putting it lightly, with Pep Guardiola’s champions eyeing a bounce-back result after slipping to just a 3rd defeat of the campaign at the hands of Tottenham last time out.