Carlo Ancelotti is hopeful Mason Holgate and Andre Gomes will be available for Everton’s home clash with Aston Villa on Thursday (6pm) and says Yerry Mina’s fitness will be assessed after he sustained a muscle injury in Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at Wolves.
Centre-back Holgate has been sidelined for the Blues’ past two matches with a shin injury, while midfielder Gomes missed the game at Molineux with an ankle problem.
Mina’s muscle problem, meanwhile, forced him to be substituted midway through the first half at Wolves.
Ancelotti explained such injuries are to be expected given the hectic fixture schedule since the resumption of competitive football. Sunday’s game was Everton’s third in seven days.
He said: “Yerry had a muscular problem.
“Unfortunately, when you only have two days to recover, the player doesn’t recover properly and to have an injury like this can happen.”
Asked whether Gomes and Holgate will be ready for Villa’s visit to Goodison Park, Ancelotti added: “I think so, we have to check on Monday.”
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Following the meeting with Dean Smith’s side, Everton face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Monday 26 June before concluding the 2019/20 campaign six days later with a home match against Bournemouth.
Ancelotti is demanding his team show the same “intensity” displayed in their first three games after the Premier League restart in the Blues’ remaining contests this season.
Everton’s first match after the suspension of top-flight football was a 0-0 Merseyside derby draw at Goodison, which Ancelotti’s side followed up with victories over Norwich City and Leicester City.
“After the restart we did well,” he said.
“In the last games [against Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton and Wolves] we lost a little bit of quality and intensity.
“I hope in the next few games we can show a different spirit.
“We want to finish the season well.”