Everton wait on James Garner review as Sean Dyche offers injury update

The midfielder is currently out with a back problem. There is a belief at Everton it is not linked to the injury that caused him issues two seasons ago

Everton are waiting on an expert review over the severity of James Garner’s injury. But there is hope it is not linked to a previous back issue.

The versatile midfielder suffered a stress fracture that caused him to miss several months of his first season at Goodison Park after arriving in the summer of 2022. Garner is currently sidelined with a new complaint sustained during the most recent international break,

The Blues are yet to find out how serious the problem is. But Sean Dyche said it is not believed to be linked to the injury that hampered Garner's introduction to life at the club.

Speaking ahead of the visit of Fulham. the Everton said: “It is a different thing. I don’t know the exact science of it but I think it is just more wear and tear.

“We are just getting a view on it now to see how quickly it is going to settle down. It has been an initial two weeks or so from when he first felt it and we should get a review over the next few days on which way we should treat it.”

Garner’s injury was a setback for a small squad that had needed him to fill in at right-back amid a defensive crisis at the start of the campaign. Another young midfielder, Tim Iroegbunam, suffered a serious foot injury during the same break, adding to a list of long-term absentees that includes Armando Broja and Youssef Chermiti.

Jarrad Branthwaite is in contention for a return against Fulham, however, and both Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson returned from injury to make the squad for the win at Ipswich Town last week.