Eddie Howe has been speaking to the press this morning, giving an update on the fitness front ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Goodison Park.
The good news is that Joe Willock “should be OK” after returning to training yesterday after he fell ill on Saturday night – meaning he missed our 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.
Jonjo Shelvey was another who went down with a bug over the weekend, however Howe admits he is a “slightly bigger concern” having still not trained as of Wednesday morning.
So, a late call will be made on him, and the same applies to Joelinton, as the NUFC boss reveals the big man is also “touch and go” for Everton.
He’s deciding between giving the Brazilian’s troublesome groin a rest ahead of our 17-day break or whether to throw him back into the side after he sat out our last two games at Southampton and Chelsea.
Here’s what Howe’s had to say on all of the above, also confirming that Federico Fernandez should be back in training today:
“Willock should be OK (for Everton).
“He had an illness but returned to training yesterday.
“Shelvey – we’re waiting to see. He hasn’t trained yet, so is a slightly bigger concern.
“Joelinton is going to be touch and go for this game.”
“We have a decision to make whether we look after him with the break we have afterwards, or whether we push him back out there.
“We’ll have to make a late call on him.”
“Apart from that (Shelvey and Joelinton) we are Ok.
“Fede Fernandez will hopefully train today after he has had quite a lay off.”
So, it sounds like Willock will return to the side, but Shelvey and Joelinton are big doubts ahead of tomorrow night’s huge game on Merseyside.
Could we see the return of a back four and a midfield trio of Willock, Guimaraes and Longstaff?
