Seasons2019-20Everton News

Ancelotti expects Gomes to be fit to face reds

Lyndon Lloyd Tuesday, 16 June, 2020 32comments  |  Jump to last

Everton are confident that André Gomes will be fit enough to play in Sunday's Merseyside derby after he resumed full training this week.

The Portuguese had to skip some sessions last week and sat out the inter-squad friendly that was played at Goodison Park over the weekend because of what was described on evertonfc.com as “a minor knock”.

Gomes missed almost four months of the season after sustaining a potentially catastrophic fracture dislocation of his right ankle but made a stunningly rapid recovery in time to resume action shortly before the campaign was suspended in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Manager Carlo Ancelotti provided an update on Gomes on the official site, explaining that he doesn't expect there to be a problem with the midfielder being able to play.

The Italian only has Gylfi Sigurdsson and Tom Davies as his other fit, senior central midfield options for the restart against Liverpool but he says that Fabian Delph should return to training soon.

“André Gomes is training with the team so he is not going to have a problem for Sunday.” Ancelotti said.

“The physical condition of the team in general is good and we are looking to recover Yerry Mina and Fabian Delph. Mina has a check on Wednesday, so we will see with him [if he is ready to face Liverpool].

“We have to check on Fabian Delph, also. They are both close to coming back to training but remain doubts for the game on Sunday.

“If they do not play, we hope they will be with us for the match at Norwich, for sure.

"Theo Walcott had surgery last week, we hope he will not be long in recovery and can be ready to come back with us in three weeks."

It has been announced that Mike Dean will officiate the derby on Sunday. The avowed Tranmere fan was restricted from refereeing games between the other two Merseyside clubs for many years but the Premier League have relaxed their stance starting in 2016.

The Wirral-born official, whose sons are Liverpool season-ticket holders, was also in charge of the Anfield derby last December. Chris Kavanagh, who sent Ancelotti off at the end of the 1-1 draw with Manchester United, has been appointed Video Assistant Referee.  

Reader Comments (32)

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Jerome Shields
1 Posted 17/06/2020 at 04:38:35
Hope they have got a suitable training and rehab program back on track, and learnt something.
Alan J Thompson
2 Posted 17/06/2020 at 06:27:30
If it wasn't so serious it would be funny; a referee who wasn't considered possibly because his sons are STHs at one of the clubs now seems to be appointed to save someone from outside coming into an area where the virus is rife.
Tony Abrahams
3 Posted 17/06/2020 at 08:11:01
And yet I'd still sooner have Mike Dean rather than the man who was supposed to officiate last time.

A derby match I can't get excited about. Although it would be nice to beat them, I'd sooner beat them the first time we play them next season at Anfield, whenever that maybe be!

Kenny Smith
4 Posted 17/06/2020 at 08:40:24
There's no doubt Gomes should be in the middle but with who? Even if they were all fully fit, I couldn't pick someone to partner him because none of the other senior players are good enough to compete with their midfield in any department.

Just highlights where we are and what a massive job Ancelotti's got on his hands. There's a similar issue with the centre-half pairing. We need a dominant centre-midfielder and centre-half desperately.

Conor McCourt
5 Posted 17/06/2020 at 08:44:02
Some really welcome news at last and we will need a top performance from André to get something from this game.

I hope Carlo disagrees with Lyndon's report on his options in midfield as any combination of Davies, Gomes and Sigurdsson in a 2 or a 3 would really struggle with their tempo. I would hope the likes of Iwobi and Sidibé are being considered in a 3 as we won't have the option of playing Mason Holgate in there due to Yerry Mina's absence.

Colin Glassar
6 Posted 17/06/2020 at 09:41:28
I always thought that, on paper at least, we had a very decent squad but this season has shown me we are really very weak in all departments.

Like Kenny #4 said, Carlos's rebuilding job will be massive. I'm just hoping he can get Thiago Silva and Allan in to give us some spine and leadership.

Mick Conalty
7 Posted 17/06/2020 at 09:52:54
I wonder if Dean calls the R/S players by their first names.
Mick Conalty
8 Posted 17/06/2020 at 10:00:47
If Dean has brought his sons up to be R/S supporters, he is obviously biased!!!
Colin Glassar
9 Posted 17/06/2020 at 10:22:12
Dean might ask Hendo for his autograph or get Van Dijk's shirt. You never know, Jurgen might even hug and kiss him. I can't stand Mike Dean and have no hope for this game.
Tony Everan
10 Posted 17/06/2020 at 10:37:04
Mike Dean's two sons Liverpool season ticket holders. That makes it about a 90% chance he is a covert supporter too. A bit more worrying that there is no crowd to disapprove of any bias. We live in hope of a fair showing.

Every blue, in every nook and cranny on planet earth knows we need a central midfield. Gomes would be a component of that and would likely flourish too with the right balance in there.

We need two central midfielders now Gbamin's out and Schneiderlin is moving on. Two quality CM players in will see us step up a gear and get closer to the top 6 and who knows into it. Getting these two players in is Carlo's and Marcel Brand's biggest test so far and a critical factor in our progress up the league.

Mick Conalty
11 Posted 17/06/2020 at 10:40:35
Will he arrive at Goodison on the same coach as the R/S.
Craig Walker
13 Posted 17/06/2020 at 11:14:05
Never been less enthusiastic about a derby game. The only leveller we have had in recent seasons has been the Goodison cauldron. I can't see anything other than a defeat in this match when I look at who might be in our line up compared with theirs. It's funny how I can't remember things these days. I thought we were in a decent run under Ancelotti but we're 12th in the table and the last match was a hammering away at Chelsea. I quite fancied us under the Goodison lights for the originally scheduled Monday match because I thought there'd be a reaction to the Chelsea result. Now, I'm dreading it. Good to have the football back, eh?
Kevin Molloy
14 Posted 17/06/2020 at 11:34:49
We have to be realistic. We aren't very good, and we are playing the Champions League winners at a neutral venue effectively. Still, we've got Carlo as manager so all is not lost.
Lenny Kingman
15 Posted 17/06/2020 at 12:30:32
#15 Fran

Got an unfunny feeling they will lose to the Gunners.

City aren't bothered were they finish in Prem as they are banned from Europe anyhow. Though more importantly they will have their eyes on the Champions League Grand Tournament in Portugal in August.

Besides, the great wonga god Sky decrees it.

Jim Wilson
16 Posted 17/06/2020 at 12:37:50
The farce continues for a game that should not be played.

Everton are complete mugs they really are and the FA and the rs know it.

The appointment of Dean and Kavanagh is possibly the biggest piss take yet. Quite remarkable what Everton are prepared to put up with.

The original corrupt ref not wanting to come into a virus rife area sums up the whole situation.

I hope Everton enjoy their cash windfall because everything else is going to be another embarrassing disaster.

Graeme Beresford
17 Posted 17/06/2020 at 14:05:37
If Arsenal beat Man City tonight, I won't be watching the derby this year. Anything to not have them lot forever sing ‘We won the league, at Goodison Park' for the next 50 years of my life.

If Arsenal win tonight, then I'm convinced we are cursed again them and we will never, ever be able to match them on or off the field. I honestly see Arsenal winning tonight, just a horrible feeling.

Danny Baily
18 Posted 17/06/2020 at 14:29:16
A coronation is being lined up for Sunday. Always the bridesmaids.
Jack Convery
20 Posted 17/06/2020 at 14:38:55
Derby? What derby? Oh, the one with an * next to it. Farce it is and farce it will remain. Wealth before Heath not a good way of looking at things. If we were top – and I did say 'if'!! – this season would have been voided and places decided for Euro comps based on an average of the past 2 seasons. Tossers rule the world so are we surprised at what is going on?

Bitter? You bet.

John McFarlane Snr
21 Posted 17/06/2020 at 14:45:53
Hi Graeme [18] don't be worried, just remind them that we won the League Championship at Anfield in 1891, 129 years ago, when there was only one League team in Liverpool.
Conor McCourt
22 Posted 17/06/2020 at 16:24:51
Ironically the competitive side of me would actually like to see Arteta give Pep a lesson just so we could see if those players really do give a fuck about us fans and frustrate them with no doubt the trophy being carried down in anticipation to Goodison and the media luvvies having their speeches prepared and wanting to shove our noses in it.

The players would undoubtedly understand the consequences for us and they would have to go to the bottom of the well to prevent it from happening. I on one hand would love to know who is up for the fight going forward and who really cares about us but on the other hand I suppose it may be a very painful lesson to find out.

Could you imagine what it would feel like sending them fuckers packing with their tails between their legs?

Brian Wilkinson
23 Posted 17/06/2020 at 16:28:16
Not a lot to look forward to, however be entertaining watching our neighbours using that cabin in the car park as a changing room, while we hog the home and away dressing rooms.

If nothing else, they will not be able to celebrate the title, if it happens on,the Goodison Park pitch.

Anyway let's just hope City win or draw tonight, so that we do not hear all the shite pre match of it being a title winning chance Sunday, they will win the title sooner than later, hopefully it will not be this Sunday.

Darren Hind
24 Posted 17/06/2020 at 17:09:17
It'll feel just as good sending the RS packing if City win Conor.

I'd rather go into Sunday's game with no possibility that they can win it at the old lady.

I hope City put that to bed early doors tonight. Then we can concentrate solely on beating the fuckers rather than have sleepless nights before hand

Jack Convery
25 Posted 17/06/2020 at 17:13:30
LFC must be crowned Champions soon as. If City don't beat Arsenal there is not a cat in hell's chance of any other result than the RS to win at Goodison. Even if that means a last minute penalty to ensure it happens live on Sky, with all those interviews, cup presentation etc etc etc plus every r slicker giving their pennies worth on Klopp, Destiny, Historical, Hendo etc etc etc.
Michael Lynch
26 Posted 17/06/2020 at 17:45:49
It's a massive "whatever" from me. Whether they win it at Anfield, Goodison, or Stanley Park, there will be no fans to witness it and nobody for Klopp to gurn at. It's a TV title - no parade for weeks if not months, no celebration with the fans, not even a pub to watch it in. Sure, the kopites will stream out onto the streets, and hang their banners from their cell bars, but the more they do that, the more they'll give the city a terrible reputation.

So fuck them, and fuck the Premier League, and fuck Sky. I hope our boys can kick them off the park in a gritty nil nil, but I personally won't be watching.

Tony Abrahams
27 Posted 17/06/2020 at 18:49:59
It's already started Michael, you will never walk alone, just wasn't the same without those fans, but Klopp is looking forward to the day the 300-400 million choir, can all sing it together!
Paul Birmingham
28 Posted 17/06/2020 at 20:24:24
Sick to death about all the king Edwards about the integrity of the game and they line up this troglodyte of a biased and erratic referee.

I hope we don't get turned over.and all clubs have been out of it for a long, long time.

The twists of fate in our encounters with old Nick must be won soon.

Hopefully the players will be motivated, believe in themselves and get into the RS.

Watford took them the cleaners, hopefully Carlo will exploit them.

Hope eternal, stay safe All.

Patrick McFarlane
29 Posted 17/06/2020 at 20:55:45
Apparently when the Premier League encouraged its clubs to have environmentally friendly cardboard fans to make the stadiums less bare, our neighbours said it wasn't at all possible as even in normal times the vast majority of their fans are plastics.
Mark Andersson
30 Posted 17/06/2020 at 21:07:34
Why get emotional and bent out of shape? Even if we beat them, it's a farce.

Carlo now knows just what a shit job he has taken on. He will walk away knowing it's an impossible task to put us back where we belong...

Kenwright Out!

Paul Birmingham
31 Posted 17/06/2020 at 22:33:56
Well City won, The Blades got robbed.

Let's hope there's no such techno screw ups on Sunday.

Just seen the news and all stay safe. Family all over the World and Jay thoughts, hopes and prayers for all in Brazil.

Sukhdev Sohal
32 Posted 18/06/2020 at 12:22:18
30- Mark Anderson, that is the most ridiculous thing I have ever read.
Franny Porter
33 Posted 19/06/2020 at 09:53:21
Lockdown seems to be getting to Mark
Gavin Johnson
34 Posted 19/06/2020 at 17:13:45
Mark Andersson. It's a good job I don't come on TW to cheer myself up and improve my mental health, reading the typical comments you come out with, lad... lol.

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