Everton have been rocked with the news that influential left-back Lucas Digne faces two months on the sidelines with an ankle injury picked up in training.
The Frenchman has been one of the most consistent players for Carlo Ancelotti's team this season, and he captained the Blues in last weekend's 3-2 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage, a match in which he provided two assists.
Digne damaged his ankle during training with Everton this week, and he will now undergo surgery on Monday.
The 27-year-old has played in all but one of Everton's Premier League fixtures so far this season, with his red card in the defeat at Southampton ensuring he was suspended for the loss to Newcastle.
Summer signing Niels Nkounkou played in that game, and the 20-year-old could now be set for a prolonged run in the first-team over the next two months.
Should Digne be absent until the end of January then he could miss as many as 12 Premier League fixtures during a crammed schedule, as well as Everton's Carabao Cup quarter-final against Manchester United and the start of their FA Cup campaign.
A mainstay in the Everton defence when fit, the former Paris Saint-Germain, Roma and Barcelona left-back has made 87 appearances for the Blues since signing from Barca in 2018.
Digne's recent form has also seen him become embedded in the France squad under Didier Deschamps.
He played in the recent internationals against both Finland and Sweden, which has now taken his tally to 35 caps for the national team.
How will Everton cope without Digne? Have your say in the comments below
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