Everton land latest fitness boost as Newcastle United star ‘injured for another three weeks’ ahead of clash
Everton and Newcastle United early team news ahead of the Premier League clash.
Nathan Patterson continued his recovery with another appearance for Everton under-21s.
The right-back suffered a serious hamstring injury last April that required surgery. It’s approaching six months since he made a first-team appearance for the Toffees.
Everton have been cautious with Patterson’s return. He played for an hour in the under-21’s 4-3 win over Sunderland earlier this week but Sean Dyche omitted the Scotland international from his squad for last Saturday’s 2-1 triumph against Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
Instead, Patterson got another runout for the young Blues. He managed 62 minutes in a 3-3 draw against Reading at the club’s Finch Farm training ground. Paul Tait’s hosts lead by three goals when the Scotland international was withdrawn following a Charlie Whittaker double and a strike from Harrison Armstrong, who was handed his full Everton senior debut last month. But the Toffees were unable to hold on and had to settle for a share of the spoils.
Still, Dyche will be pleased that Patterson has taken another step up. With Everton hosting Newcastle United at Goodison Park on Saturday, it will be intriguing to see whether the ex-Rangers man will be named in the match-day squad. The Toffees will aim for just a second league win of the season against the Magpies, who have injury issues of their own.
Alexander Isak has a broken toe and missed Newcastle’s 1-1 draw against Manchester City. The Mirror suggests that the striker will be absent until after the international break. Toon boss Eddie Howe said: “It was either he’d be out until probably after the international break initially, or he could carry on playing as normal if he could tolerate the feelings and the effects of the injury. He hasn’t been able to do that, so we’re back to the original diagnosis, I think.
“We’re sort of assessing him on a daily basis because there is a chance he could be fit for Everton if everything falls into place. Of course, then we have a decision to make. Does he play in that game or do we leave him knowing that he’ll be OK two weeks afterwards?”
