Sam Allardyce has criticised Everton’s medical staff for Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s poor injury record.
Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, the former Toffees boss claimed that his lengthy spells on the sidelines are the responsibility of the medics and they should be questioned on it.
Calvert-Lewin joined Everton from Sheffield United in 2016 and enjoyed a two-year period of being one of the Premier League’s best strikers as he netted 29 goals in the top flight.
The England international earned heavy interest from the likes of Arsenal and Real Madrid and was previously valued at around £50 million, however injuries have seen his career dramatically decline.
Calvert-Lewin fractured his toe in August 2021 and it all went downhill from there, with the forward spending almost 300 days in the treatment room since.
Scoring only seven goals in the past two years, Calvert-Lewin was hoping to start afresh this season. However, an unfortunate collision with Emiliano Martinez at the weekend has put him out of action with a fractured cheekbone.
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Sam Allardyce says it is the medical staff’s ‘responsibility’ to take care of Calvert-Lewin
While his injury at Villa Park was surely just bad luck, Allardyce has put the blame on Everton’s doctors for his continuous injury woes.
Speaking on his podcast, the 68-year-old said: “The last two seasons there’s one injury after the other. Even Carlo [Ancelotti] found it difficult towards the end to get results, even with Dominic scoring 20 goals that season. He was the only saviour with his goals and he’s lost that now.
“I’d be straight with the medical staff and go – ‘What are you doing? Why does he keep getting injured? You need to do something about this. This is your responsibility.'”
Calvert-Lewin is set to miss out on Everton’s clash with Wolves at the weekend, though it is unclear when he will return to the first team.
The 26-year-old joins Jack Harrison, Seamus Coleman, Dwight McNeil, Alex Iwobi and Dele Alli on the sidelines.