Nine senior Everton players are in line to miss their Premier League clash against West Ham on Sunday as their injury crisis mounts, according to the Liverpool Echo.
The regional newspaper claim Marco Silva could be without virtually a full team when his side return to action at Goodison Park after the international break.
The Echo report Seamus Coleman, who has pulled out of the Republic of Ireland’s clash against Poland tonight (Tuesday) with a foot injury, has joined Phil Jagielka, Andre Gomes, Idrissa Gana Gueye, James McCarthy, Michael Keane, Yerry Mina and Theo Walcott on the sidelines.
Everton will also be without star forward Richarlison against West Ham as he serves the final match of a three-game suspension.
OPINION
The headaches keep coming for Silva, who must be praying no more of his first-team stars break down between now and Sunday. Of the nine who could miss out against the rock-bottom Hammers, seven were unavailable for the 1-1 draw against Huddersfield before the international break and they have now been joined on the sidelines by Coleman and Walcott, who suffered a rib injury in that 1st September fixture. Losing the experience of the senior pair would be a further blow for Everton, who will also have to start with a new duo on the right flank, most likely youthful pair Jonjoe Kenny and Ademola Lookman. Coleman has not been in his best form so far this season but Walcott has been a threat on the right flank and scored two goals. With Gueye, Keane and summer signings Mina and Gomes also likely to be out, West Ham have an increasingly good chance to open their points account following a dreadful start to the season.