Barkley injury is a bitter blow for Toffees
EVERTON have suffered a major setback ahead of the new Premier League season after Ross Barkley was ruled out for up to eight weeks. The England international, who recently committed his future to his boyhood club by signing a four-year deal, has suffered a knee-ligament injury in training and his absence will cause a major headache for manager Roberto Martinez.
Barkley was hurt in an accidental collision at the club’s Finch Farm headquarters yesterday. He must now undergo scans to determine how long he will be on the sidelines. The best- case scenario is that he will be able to return within six weeks.
He will be a big loss for Everton, who face a demanding opening to the campaign that includes games against Chelsea and Arsenal before the end of the month.
If Barkley is out for eight weeks, he will also miss Everton’s return to Europe on September 18 as well as the first Merseyside derby at Anfield on September 27. Not only that, he will be ruled out of England’s match against Norway along with their opening Euro 2016 qualifier against Switzerland.
There is no indication yet as to whether Barkley requires surgery. That, however, will be no solace to Martinez, who has made the 20-yearold one of the key figures in his team.
Meanwhile, the manager is backing another England player, Phil Jagielka, to prove he is still one of the country’s best defenders. There are question marks over Jagielka’s prospects after he was criticised for the World Cup defeats against Italy and Uruguay.
Martinez has no such worries about his 31-year-old captain and said: ‘When you have been in a tournament like the World Cup, it can be very raw. You need a proper break to get a proper perspective. I think his experience will make him even more determined than he was before.’
This afternoon, Everton are at the home of Premiership newcomers Leicester City — and Foxes boss Nigel Pearson believes the club are more than capable of competing in the top flight for the first time in a decade.
‘We were the best team in the league last season. Obviously, that won’t be the case this time around,’ said Pearson.
‘But there is a confidence among the players that they believe they have the ability to perform, and I fully agree.’