Frank Lampard is hoping Dominic Calvert-Lewin could return for Everton against Manchester City this weekend.
Not for the first time this season, the Blues were unable to call upon the forward for Monday’s game with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Despite training with his side ahead of the fixture, the England international was deemed not fit enough to be involved.
Calvert-Lewin has struggled with various injuries since the start of the last campaign and has managed just 340 minutes of football this season. The England international has only completed 90 minutes once for the Blues this season.
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Speaking after the defeat on Monday, Lampard conceded he was worried by his side’s lack of cutting edge in front of goal. But he is hoping the return of Calvert-Lewin, and some January reinforcements, will help his side improve going forward.
He said: “We will see, we have got Dominic hopefully coming back for City, potentially, maybe Brighton.
“You can't underestimate the strength or power of losing a player of that, who has been a big part of this club for a good few years in terms of a goal return alongside Richarlison.
“So when you haven't got that, in isolation that Dominic question is a big one and hopefully he will remain fit for us and then can we help around that to have people who are going to keep pushing and maybe give some different attributes in terms of being more clinical, as simple as that.”
The Blues have now lost their last four matches in all competitions following Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Julen Lopetegui’s side. Despite taking an early lead through Yerry Mina, Daniel Podence's close-range effort drew the visitors level before Rayan Ait-Nouri scored a 95th-minute winner on the counterattack.
Everton have also lost six of their previous eight league games and face a daunting trip to the Etihad to take Pep Guardiola’s side next. The Blues will arrive at the home of the reigning Premier League champions on Satruday just one point and one place above the drop zone, but Lampard believes this season was always going to be a difficult one for his side.
“My opinion was that this year was always going to be tough off the back of where we were and how the summer went,” the Blues boss said.
"We are trying to improve but it will be baby steps and sometimes you have periods like we’re in at the minute.
“But today we deserved to win the game, so we’ll hang onto those positives. There was a lot of good stuff from my coaching point of view, but not the result.”
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