Everton pair ruled out of Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur games as Seamus Coleman update given

Everton have ruled Abdoulaye Doucoure and Andre Gomes out of this week's Premier League double-header.

The Blues are hoping to move clear of the Premier League relegation zone, having been plunged into another scrap following a 10-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules. They currently sit one place and one point above the bottom three.

Everton make the trip to Fulham tonight before welcoming Tottenham Hotspur to Goodison Park on Saturday lunchtime. However, Sean Dyche must again work with a smaller squad than he'd like.

Doucoure, the Blues' six-goal top scorer, has a hamstring injury and won't play in either game. Meanwhile, Gomes, meanwhile, picked up a calf injury after missing four months of action earlier in the campaign with a similar issue.

Seamus Coleman is also a doubt to feature at Fulham, while Ashley Young was back on the bench for the 2-1 FA Cup loss against Luton Town.

Everton manager Dyche on Gomes' fitness: “He isn’t going to be fit this week. It is going to be a matter of time, we don’t know how long yet, but it’s definitely a calf injury, he’s had a couple of them over the last few months.

"It has been very difficult and it’s a loss to us because I think you’ve seen he was showing he wants to adapt to what we’re doing and play for us, and he scored a great free-kick and looked sharp as he was getting fitter, and now he’s injured again so it’s really frustrating for him and for us.”

Asked if Everton could welcome any players back for the clash against Fulham, Dyche said: “I doubt it. Close calls on a couple but we can’t keep losing players. So if there are close calls we’ll have to go against it by the nature of not losing more players.

"It is going to be a similar group. Seamus [is a close call], Youngy [Ashley Young' probably the end of the week but needs must at the moment, with so few bodies, but Seamus is probably the one a bit closer. We will have to make a judgement call.”

Dele Alli recently had groin surgery, having not played all season while Idrissa Gana Gueye is representing Senegal at the African Cup of Nations.