Everton’s pre-season has made steady progress over the summer, starting off with a few shaky performances and finishing with some fine results.
However, it has been a pre-season blighted by injury, where Sean Dyche would have hoped to integrate his side back into action carefully.
Jarrad Braithwaite is one such example of a player who has yet to play a single minute over the summer, which will almost certainly halt his progress at the start of the campaign.
But, for the 22-year-old, there is an ample backup in Jake O’Brien.
What’s more worrying is the fitness of Seamus Coleman, who was substituted after just 32 minutes against AS Roma yesterday, their final match before the new campaign begins.
Sean Dyche provides Everton injury update
Speaking to reporters after the 1-1- draw, in which he watched his side labour in the first half but spark into life throughout the second, attention naturally diverted to his club captain.
After all, right-back is a position of real peril for the 53-year-old, with only a 39-year-old Ashley Young and a hugely unfavored Nathan Patterson as the alternatives.
Naturally, they would want the Republic of Ireland international to be fit and ready to play as much as possible, especially given this is likely to be his final campaign with the Toffees.
But, that seems unlikely to be the case, with this pre-season match likely acting as a warning for what is to come: more of the same.
Dyche would update the fans by noting: ‘Unfortunately, it looks like he’s nicked his calf. We’re not sure at the moment how serious that is, but I don’t think it’s too serious – the way he came off – but we’ll just have to hope for the best.’
It’s such a shame to see the £55k-a-week superstar again ruled out, especially after Coleman was named one of the best signings in Premier League history not too long ago.
Who will start at right-back for Everton vs Brighton and Hove Albion?
Unfortunately, whether fans like it or not, Young is almost definitely set to start at right-back if Coleman is unfit.
This will draw widespread scrutiny from the fanbase, and justifiably so, when there is a promising young alternative with a future at the club waiting for his chance.
Admittedly, Patterson might not be the most solid, but his athleticism and attacking impetus would surely make up for his positional weaknesses.
Not only that, but the former Aston Villa and Manchester United winger has been caught culpable more than a few times in possession, and then lacks the required pace to fix his own mistakes.
If the Coleman is unfit, as is suggested, Patterson deserves a run of Premier League fixtures to figure out whether his current treatment is valid or not.
However, the expectation is that Young will start against Brighton and Hove Albion.
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