James Rodriguez Abdoulaye Doucoure

Everton boss Ancelotti confirms injury blows for Rodriguez and Doucoure

Everton head coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed key midfield duo James Rodriguez and Abdoulaye Doucoure are both set for spells on the sidelines. 

Doucoure could be out the rest of the season, with Ancelotti saying the Frenchman could miss up to 10 weeks with a fractured bone in his foot.

Rodriguez, meanwhile, has been sidelined the past three matches and will now be out until April as he continues to battle a calf problem.

Article continues below

What has been said?

"Doucoure had a small fracture on his foot. I don't know how long, maybe eight weeks or 10 weeks. I hope he can recover before the end of the season," said Ancelotti.

On the Colombian, Ancelotti added: "James played well, really well, against Man Utd and against Liverpool but he was not 100 per cent fit.

"We decided to give him a proper recovery and don't let him play at 70 or 80 per cent. We have taken this decision together. The player agrees.

"It's better for him to solve his problem and to be ready for the end of the season. That can be, I think, after the [international] break."

What games will both players miss?

Rodriguez will miss Saturday's Premier League match against Burnley and next weekend's FA Cup quarter-final against Manchester City, which leads up to the international break.

Should Doucoure be out for 10 weeks, Everton would have just one league match remaining when he returns.

How big of a blow are the injuries?

Doucoure and Rodriguez have both been key for Everton this season, with the club currently in sixth place in the league table. 

Doucoure, a £20 million ($28m) summer signing from Watford, has missed just two Premier League matches for the Toffees this term. 

Rodriguez, who joined on a free transfer from Real Madrid last summer, has been a key attacking spark, scoring five goals and adding eight assists in all competitions.

Further reading

Advertisement