Shattering Everton blow as key attacker set to miss rest of the season
By Alex Stevens
Yannick Bolasie is facing the prospect of missing the rest of the season in a shattering blow to Everton.
The Merseysiders revealed on their official Twitter account on Monday night that the key attacking player will undergo knee surgery after scans revealed that he has sustained a "serious ligament injury".
Bolasie broke down in Everton's 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Goodison Park on Sunday and limped off the pitch after 68 minutes to be replaced by Enner Valencia.
The former Crystal Palace is now facing the prospect of nine to 12 months on the sidelines, which is the normal timeframe for a player who has torn an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Everton did not reveal what ligament that the 27-year-old had damaged but the Times' Merseyside correspondent Paul Joyce reported on his personal Twitter account that it was the ACL, which requires the longest to heal and almost certainly rules him out for the rest of the campaign.
The lengthy absence of Bolasie is a devastating blow to manager Ronald Koeman, who signed the wide player from Crystal Palace in the summer for a fee rising to £28million.
The DR Congo internaitonal has had a mixed start at Goodison Park, but provides a regular supply line from the flanks and has supplied four league assists for his new club as well as one goal from 14 appearances in the competition .
Everton came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against United at Goodison after Leighton Baines' late penalty cancelled out Zlatan Ibrahimovic's 12th goal for the visitors.