Stones substitution was precautionary

, 22 September, 9comments | Jump to most recent

Roberto Martinez has indicated that he does not expect the injury that John Stones picked up in the cup tie at Reading this evening to be serious.

The defender was substituted just four minutes into the second half of Everton's 2-1 win over Reading after picking up a knock but his manager said the decision was merely a precaution.

“He had a little bit of a knock in his right knee and we couldn't take any risks," Martinez said after the game.

“He will be assessed over the next 48 hours but I don't expect it to be anything too serious.”

Stones has six days in which to recover if he is to make the next match with West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Monday evening.

Reader Comments (9)

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Tony J Williams
3 Posted 23/09/2015 at 09:47:38

Out for three months then?

Ian Jones
4 Posted 23/09/2015 at 11:01:33

Only for that long Tony. Remember there is recovery time. Then he has to be reintroduced to the group. Then game time. Could be fit by the end of Jan by which time we will have sold him to Chelsea.

Who else thinks we have seen him play his last match for us?

And yes I am joking just in case...there are some who think it's a serious post.

Eivind Nyhus
5 Posted 23/09/2015 at 11:37:21

This worries me. Funes Mori seems good enough to help the team when needed, but I don't see him being ready to play from start against top tier competition just yet.

Peter Mills
6 Posted 23/09/2015 at 16:31:35

He jarred his right knee when he was block tackled at Swansea, it looked quite bad at the time but he played on. I'm guessing he may have aggravated it last night.

Scott Bosworth
7 Posted 23/09/2015 at 17:54:36

Rest Stones if there is even a tiny question.

I'm more comfortable with Stones sitting out vs West Brom than I would be against any other team in the league, to be honest. West Brom don't have much attack, very few goals in them, so this would be the ideal time for Funes Mori to play, then get Stones back in for the derby.

Mark Boulle
8 Posted 24/09/2015 at 12:24:56

I hope against hope it was just precautionary. But I have long since ceased to have any faith whatsoever in RM's injury diagnoses. Trained physio he may be, but Coleman and Besic were due back for Reading and didn't feature, as was Oviedo.

Pienaar has completely disappeared again, Gibson was supposed to be fit enough to play some part on Tuesday but didn't leave the bench.

Will be very interesting to see what happens when Baines is fit again? Echoes of the Tim Howard / Robles situation last season perhaps? Robles deserved to stay in the side but was dropped as soon as Howard (who, to be fair, has re-discovered his focus and raised his performance levels this season so far) regained fitness. Galloway might have made the LB spot his own by November when Leighton is back, so what does RM do then...?

Andrew James
9 Posted 25/09/2015 at 11:39:17

Gibson was warming up on Tuesday night but to be honest he didn't feature because the match didn't require him. We'd brought on Barry and were battling to win. If we'd been 3 up then I would have expected Gibson to get 15 minutes.

Good to see Osman back. He brought some good touches and ball retention to a nervy midfield often trying too much one touch / ricochet football with our strikers. He's a crucial player to have, given Cleverley is out. He's also a goal-scoring midfielder which is something we are crying out for with only Barkley likely to contribute in that department.

But the Pienaar and Oviedo injuries are puzzling. It feels an age since either got any game time. Is Pienaar going to retire?

Mark Wynne
10 Posted 25/09/2015 at 14:54:02

I got the impression from today's press conference that Stones won't feature at West Brom. Sounds more than just precautionary.

Patrick Murphy
12 Posted 25/09/2015 at 15:28:30

I tend to agree with you Mark (8) as Roberto said that "Bryan Oviedo is fine and working with the group tomorrow and so is Aiden McGeady. Seamus Coleman and John Stones, they have got a chance for Monday but more realistic is the derby.

"Tony Hibbert will be on the grass after the international break, as will Steven Pienaar."

It's no wonder the camp is so laid back and happy most of the time if the managers quote about Hibbo and Peanuts is to be taken literally.

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