Frank Lampard has revealed Dominic Calvert-Lewin 'might be available' for Everton’s Premier League clash with Wolves on Monday.
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.
Everton supporters have seen very little of the goalscoring number nine over the past 16 months. After netting 21 goals in all competitions during the 2020/21 season, Calvert-Lewin spent four months out between September and December last term with a quadriceps injury before returning to fitness.
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However, another injury was then picked up following the arrival of Lampard in January. But the England international delivered when his side needed him most, scoring the goal that secured Everton’s top-flight status as he headed home the winner in their 3-2 comeback victory over Crystal Palace.
And with a full pre-season under his belt, which included a goal at Goodison Park against Dynamo Kyiv, the forward looked ready and raring to go. Rarely, however, is anything that straightforward at Everton.
Just days ahead of his side’s opening game of the season against Chelsea, the Blues were rocked by the news that Calvert-Lewin would be out for a number of weeks with a knee injury. His absence deepened Everton’s attacking problems.
Calvert-Lewin returned at the start of October and netted his first goal of the season in the 3-0 home win over Crystal Palace at the end of that month. However, it was then revealed by Lampard that the forward was struggling with three seperate injuries.
As well as picking up a hamstring injury in the defeat to Leicester City last month, Calvert-Lewin had also been playing with a dislocated shoulder sustained against Newcastle United back in October and a knee injury from the summer that had continued to cause him trouble.
And while Lampard cannot guarantee Calvert-Lewin will be available for selection, he admits there is a possibility he may be in the squad for the game at Goodison Park
“As we sit here now, Dominic is recovering well,” he told evertontv. “He’s going to join training with us tomorrow. It gives us the potential that he may be available for Wolves but I don’t want to commit to that.
“We all know he’s had various injuries. The knee was the one we wanted to clear up. It has cleared up as such so it’s making sure we get him match fit and ready.”
Speaking back in November, Lampard hoped the break for the World Cup would give Calvert-Lewin and the club a chance to finally sort his injury issues out. And he admits getting the forward back to full fitness is a 'big deal' for him.
“Some things are out of your control with injuries. It’s not for the want or trying of anybody - Dominic, ourselves, the medical team.
“You try and manage and take on board what you can. You try to take on the information about the player if they’ve had repetitive injuries. I know they’ve been happening with Dominic for a while now that predates myself.
“We work very hard to cover all the bases and hopefully we can get him back regularly because I’ve not had a regular, fit Dominic. When we’re talking about the level of player he is and can be, it’s a big deal so we have to get him fit.”
Lampard also expects James Garner to remain sidelined until February. The midfielder missed Everton's final Premier League match at Bournemouth, and the club's tour to Australia, with a back problem.
“James is progressing okay. It is a difficult injury so we are still looking at February for him. It is just working away,” the Blues boss said when asked for an update on the youngster.
While Lampard has also revealed that apart from Conor Coady, who isn’t eligible to play against his parent club, Jordan Pickford, Idrissa Gueye and Amadou Onana, who all featured at the World Cup for their respective countries, will be available for the game against Wolves.
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