Double injury blow for Blues

Idrissa Gueye and Mason Holgate have joined Everton’s ever-growing injury list.

Holgate has withdrew from the England under-21 squad due to an ankle problem that will require surgery.

The club have passed it off as ‘minor’, but there is not scale on the 21-year-olds return to fitness.

On the other hand, Senegal boss Aliou Cisse has confirmed Gueye has sustained a muscle tear which makes the midfielder likely to miss key fixtures against Manchester City and Liverpool, Cisse said: “My squad is almost complete, but Gana had a muscle tear when he came over.

“I had wanted him to be in my team, but I think he will be out for three weeks.”

Both injuries are thought to have been suffered prior to linking up with their respective national sides, so the clichéd international hoodoo can be saved for another day.