Everton confirm Morgan Schneiderlin is ‘available’ to face Liverpool in the FA Cup third round on Sunday. The 30-year-old had been out of action since early-December with a calf injury, causing him to miss Everton’s last five games.
Schneiderlin has made 13 appearances in all competitions this season, the last of which came in Everton’s 3-1 win over Chelsea (December 7). In his absence, Tom Davies, Mason Holgate, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fabian Delph have been rotated in midfield.
Everton’s injury update says Schneiderlin has ‘fully recovered’, but he’ll be short of match fitness due to the lengthy layout. The French international should make the matchday squad, but it’s hard to see him starting in a Merseyside derby so soon after his return.
Schneiderlin was absent for Everton’s 1-1 draw with Manchester United (December 15, 2019), 0-0 draw with Arsenal (December 21), 1-0 win over Burnley (December 26), 2-1 win over Newcastle United (December 28) and 2-1 defeat to Manchester City (January 1, 2020).
Carlo Ancelotti won’t want to rush him back for an intense game against Liverpool, so Davies, Sigurdsson and Delph should get the nod on Sunday.