Everton manager Frank Lampard has revealed that Dominic Calvert-Lewin will be missing for the club’s FA Cup clash against Brentford.
What’s the story?
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the game against the Bees in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday, the new Toffees boss revealed: “DCL picked up a small knock so he won’t be available. We hope he can be back for the games coming up.”
Lampard will be gutted
The striker has only managed just six appearances in the Premier League all season, scoring three goals, with all three of those strikes coming in his opening three matches back in August.
In fact, even despite those injury troubles seeing him miss such a large chunk of the season, Calvert-Lewin actually somehow remains fourth-top scorer, and only three behind the men in first, Demarai Gray and Andros Townsend.
Back in May, former Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti waxed lyrical about the striker after watching him score the winner away against West Ham, saying: “The goal he scored today is a goal of a top striker.
“It’s a goal where the striker prepares his movement and moves at the right time with a lot of speed and then he was cold in front of the goalkeeper. He hasn’t scored a lot of goals like this. He’s scored most of his goals from crosses or with one touch in the box. This is a goal of a top striker.”
Lampard no doubt would have been desperate to see Everton’s most potent goal-scorer and leader up front to be available for his first game in charge, not least for a cup match that could eventually see the new Toffees boss lift his first trophy.
It’s exactly why the update on Calvert-Lewin is likely to leave him absolutely gutted.
Meanwhile, Everton facing a Rafa Benitez-esque howler…