Armando Broja avoided going to hospital after damaging his ankle and needing oxygen before being stretchered off in Everton’s 2-0 FA Cup victory over Peterborough United on Thursday night.
Broja was fit enough to make the bench for Everton’s third-round tie against Peterborough, with Sean Dyche sacked as manager just three hours before kick-off. Broja was introduced in the 68th minute. But after a robust tackle from Posh defender Manny Fernandez, the Albania international went down and required lengthy treatment. He was given oxygen and had to be carried off on a stretcher, but avoided going to hospital.
Leighton Baines said of Broja’s injury: “It looked bad, didn’t it? You’ve seen him go off to the other side of the pitch and we weren’t sure if he would go to hospital or not but he hasn’t. We don’t know the extent of it at the moment but he is still here. He hasn’t been taken to hospital so I’ve taken that as a good sign.”
Broja is no stranger to injuries, having joined the club on loan from Chelsea with an achilles problem that took 4 months to heal before he played his first game for the club. In last Saturday’s 1-0 loss at Bournemouth, he had to be substituted before half-time with a back issue sustained when kicking the ground while taking a shot.