Medical expert: Ben Godfrey’s season may now be over amid Everton latest
It is unlikely that Ben Godfrey will play for Everton on the final day of the season if he does not return to action against Crystal Palace on Thursday (19 May).
That is the view of injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis.
Godfrey, 24, has been out of action with a thigh injury for a month, missing five games of the Toffees’ relegation battle in that time.
As quoted by BBC Sport on Wednesday (18 May), Frank Lampard revealed that he will make a late call over whether the defender is fit to play some role against Palace.
Fellow centre-back Michael Keane has recovered from an illness, but Yerry Mina remains injured and Jarrad Branthwaite is serving a one-match ban.
Everton will secure their top-flight status with victory over Palace at Goodison.
And Dinnery claims that Godfrey will not be risked on the final day against Arsenal if that situation transpires.
“I’d be very surprised if it wasn’t Keane and Holgate at centre-half,” he told Football Insider’s Adam Williams.
“If they win at Palace, I don’t think they’ll care who plays centre-back on Sunday. If it is done and dusted, I don’t think Lampard and his staff will want to take any risks whatsoever.
“If players aren’t fit to play on Thursday, you could question if there is any point in bringing them back in for the final day. I think that will be the feeling around Godfrey.”
Godfrey has tu rned out 27 times for the Toffees this season.
The two-cap England man also missed a bank of games with a hamstring injury back in February.
In other news, expert suggests Tottenham primed to sign Everton stars amid “massive” Anthony Gordon claim.