Everton Manager Ancelotti Provides Injury Update On James

Carlo Ancelotti says he is set to be without Colombian attacker James Rodriguez and captain Seamus Coleman for Everton’s Premier League visit to Southampton on Sunday.

Midfielder Allan is available after coming through Saturday’s Merseyside derby without any recurrence of his groin issue.

Jonjoe Kenny recovered from an ankle problem to re-join training on Tuesday and could feature on the south coast this weekend.

Ancelotti revealed James was injured in a coming together with Virgil van Dijk in the opening minutes of last weekend’s draw with Liverpool.

“Unfortunately, James had a problem during the game [against Liverpool],” Ancelotti told evertontv.

“He had a mistimed tackle with Virgil van Dijk at the beginning of the game and I think he will not be available for the game against Southampton."

Van Dijk subsequently had to be substituted after sustaining a knee injury in a collision with Jordan Pickford.

Everton manager Ancelotti said Pickford - and everybody at the Club - wishes van Dijk a speedy recovery from the ACL injury sustained in the match.


“To be clear, we are really sorry for the injury of Virgil van Dijk.

“Every one of us hopes he can recover soon and well.

“There was this contact with Jordan Pickford: it was mistimed contact.

“But the fact the Premier League is so fast, it is not so difficult to arrive a little bit later.

“Jordan arrived a little bit later but his intention was to try to reach the ball.

“It was not to hurt Virgil van Dijk.

“To say it was premeditated, and this and that, in my opinion, is too much.

“Virgil van Dijk knows this.

“Jordan is really sad, really disappointed [that Van Dijk is injured].

“It was a strong contact, maybe mistimed, but sometimes in football it can happen.”

Everton’s draw with Liverpool stretched their unbeaten run from the beginning of this campaign to eight matches.

Ancelotti’s side will aim to extend their five-match undefeated Premier League sequence at St Mary’s Stadium this weekend.


Everton will encounter a Southampton team which has claimed seven points from its past three games after stunning Chelsea with a stoppage-time equaliser to draw 3-3 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday.

The potential absence of both James and Richarlison, who will serve the first game of a three-match ban, will present starting opportunities for members of Ancelotti’s squad short on top-flight action this term.

Among those vying for a first Premier League start this term is Alex Iwobi, who dazzled after replacing Richarlison in the opening half of Everton’s victory over Brighton & Hove Albion prior to this month’s international break.

“We have to put in other players who have the desire to play,” said Ancelotti, who expects right-back Coleman to miss “two or three weeks” with “not a big problem”.

“We are working this week on this and I think we are going to choose a good line-up for the game against Southampton.

“Alex is a player who works hard. He is fast and with his quality he can help the team be better in certain situations.

“He [potentially] has an opportunity to play but also we have Bernard and Anthony Gordon.

“We have a lot of opportunities to replace Richarlison and James.

“We are already moving on.”