Everton confirm that Michael Keane ‘will be assessed’ ahead of Tuesday’s meeting with Newcastle. Carlo Ancelotti says the club “are going to decide on Tuesday” whether he’s fit enough to feature. The 27-year-old is struggling with a knee injury that caused him to miss Everton’s 1-1 draw with West Ham United on Saturday, but there’s a slim chance he could return.
Ancelotti said in Monday’s pre-match press conference: “Michael Keane trained today, he was not so comfortable. We are going to decide on Tuesday. We have had a busy time, a lot of games. After this game, we have a period where we can train properly, have a good rest and, on the injury aspect, it will be better.”
After Tuesday’s meeting with Newcastle, Everton don’t have another game until February 1 – Watford (away) – so Ancelotti doesn’t need to rush Keane back. The England international has only played in two of Everton’s last six games – 2-1 win over Newcastle United (December 28, 2019), 1-0 win over Brighton & Hove Albion (January 11, 2020) – so he may not have been in line to start anyway.
Ancelotti named Yerry Mina and Mason Holgate at centre-back against West Ham while Lewis Gibson was promoted from the reserves to provide cover on the bench. And with Everton lacking depth in defence, a new face could be brought in before the transfer window shuts.
It remains to be seen if Gibson will be kept in the first-team or sent back to the u23s when Keane returns, however.