Doucoure eyes Europe on return from injury hell
Everton’s Abdoulaye Doucoure plans to make the most of being given a chance to play out the remainder of the season.
The French midfielder feared his campaign was prematurely ended when he broke a bone in a foot in March.
However, he made his comeback 10 weeks later at Villa last Thursday, but the goalless draw damaged the club’s European hopes.
Doucoure is desperate to secure a place in Europe next season and insists not winning their remaining two home matches, starting against relegated Sheffield United today, is not an option. “It was a hard injury for me, the diagnosis was not so good,” he said.
“I was expecting that my season was finished, but I did everything in my power to come back.
“My target was to come back before the end of the season and I’m happy to be back here and helping out.
“We have an opportunity to get into Europe, so I was very happy and excited to come into the team.”
Boss Carlo Ancelotti made European football the primary target at the beginning of the season, but inconsistent form – Everton have won back-to-back league matches just once since December – has put that in jeopardy.
The club’s woeful record at Goodison Park, where they have taken just 19 points from a possible 51, has put even more scrutiny on their next two fixtures at home. “It is a good pressure to have. We are professional and we know pressure is part of our job,” he added.
“We know the pressure is on us to be successful. Personally, I have always dreamed to play in Europe one day, so it would be huge for me.
“This is the biggest opportunity I have had so I will do everything I can to help the team and be in Europe at the end of the season.”
Elsewhere, Tottenham interim head coach Ryan Mason says more should be done to curb rough aerial challenges as Wolves’ Raul Jimenez is set to see a specialist over whether he can play again this season.
The Mexican suffered a fractured skull after a collision with Arsenal defender David Luiz in November and, although he has returned to training, Jimenez has not yet had clearance to resume heading the ball.
He will not feature in Wolves’ trip to Tottenham today. Mason knows exactly how Jimenez is feeling as his career was cruelly cut short when he suffered the same injury in 2017.
Mason wants the rules to change on such challenges, saying: “More needs to be done with these types of challenges and the perception. I have said it for a couple of years now.”