Medical expert delivers ‘huge’ Richarlison prediction after Everton update
Richarlison is “highly unlikely” to start for Everton against Watford on 23 October – but he could make the matchday squad.
That is according to injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Richarlison has been out of action since he sustained a knee injury in the Toffees’ 3-1 win over Burnley on 13 September.
He is one of five Everton first-teamers in the treatment room, including fellow star men Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dominic Calvert-Lewin.
As quoted by Sky Sports on 19 October, manager Rafael Benitez revealed: “Richarlison is getting closer”.
But Dinnery predicts that Saturday’s meeting with Watford could come too soon for the 24-year-old Brazilian attacker.
He told Football Insider correspondent Adam Williams: “There’s a big difference between being fit to play and fit in terms of a return to performance.
“You can train and come through the session fine, and that means you aren’t injured. That in and of itself can be hugely significant for morale.
“But that doesn’t necessarily mean you are fit and ready to get back to your best. Is he ready in terms of that sharpness? Probably not.
“If he was to be fit for this weekend, that would mean a return time of about five weeks.
“You take into account the opposition as well. We have seen him training away from the group and he could potentially return to the matchday squad.
“Whether he’d be in a position to start, however, I think that is highly unlikely at the moment.“
In other news, Everton set sights on signing Jesse Lingard in January as plan revealed to evade FFP.