Everton provide triple injury update as key player set to be sidelined ‘for weeks’

Sean Dyche has confirmed that Dwight McNeil will not be fit for Everton’s opening Premier League fixture of the 2023-24 season.

The winger, who scored seven goals and recorded three assists last season, suffered ankle ligament damage in a 1-0 pre-season friendly win over Stoke City last week.

McNeil was absent for today’s 1-0 triumph against Sporting CP and Dyche admitted that the 23-year-old will be out for ‘weeks rather than days’ - ruling him out of the curtain-raiser against Fulham at Goodison Park on 12 August .

The Everton manager said: “It's not going to be days. It's going to be weeks rather than days. We're waiting on a weekly update if you like. So, yeah, we'll see how long it takes. He's just hurt his ankle ligaments.”

Arnaut Danjuma was absent for the clash against Sporting, having sustained a knock. The on-loan Villarreal forward should be involved against Fulham but is unlikely to start because of match fitness.

Dyche added: “He will be fit but I doubt he will be fit, fit if that makes sense as in getting out there when the whistle blows.”

Meanwhile, James Tarkowski came off in the closing stages against Sporting with a knock. However, Dyche allayed fears over the centre-back’s issue.

“He’s just got a knock, we think,” said Dyche. “Obviously, today we’re just being as careful as possible. Gana was just a straight thinking that he’s played a lot of minutes, Youngy as well - just monitoring the minutes, we know how much they have played and the workload they’re putting in so we’re just being precautionary.”

Dominic Calvert-Lewin notched the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in first-half stoppage-time against Sporting.