Everton will be sweating on the fitness of Richarlison after he had to be substituted in Brazil’s 2-0 win over Uruguay following a brutal challenge that saw Edinson Cavani sent off.
Richarlison scored in the South American World Cup qualifying group game and Carlo Ancelotti will be anxious to learn if his player is fit to return to action at Fulham on Sunday.
Since the player joined from Watford in 2018, Everton are yet to win a Premier League game without him and he has been absent for their last three matches – all defeats – since being sent off himself in the Merseyside Derby last month.
Brazil – the only nation to take part in the finals of every tournament to date – kept up their 100% record to win their third consecutive game with a 2-0 victory over Uruguay.
Juventus midfielder Arthur put the visitors ahead on 34 minutes before Richarlison headed in his eighth goal in 23 international matches on the stroke of half-time.
Uruguay were reduced to 10 men on 71 minutes when striker Cavani – who scored his first Manchester United goal in their 3-1 win over Everton at Goodison Park before the international break – was sent off for a foul on Richarlison following a VAR check.
Cavani attempted to make a challenge as Richarlison powered away with the ball but only managed to catch his opponent on the shins with his studs.
The Everton forward - whose club team-mate Allan remained an unused substitute for Brazil - was subsequently replaced following the tackle.
HITC quote Richarlison as saying: “I think it was a ball dispute, he went over the top, if my foot was stuck it might have even broken my ankle, but I think it wasn’t bad, he tried to steal the ball and ended up missing the boat."
Another of their club colleagues James Rodriguez was also in action in South America but despite getting himself on the scoresheet, he endured a night to forget.
Colombia, without the suspended Yerry Mina after he was sent off in the last minute of Friday night’s 3-0 home defeat to Uruguay, suffered a shock 6-1 thrashing at the hands of neighbours Ecuador in Quito.
James played the full 90 minutes but his penalty in first-half stoppage time was the only highlight for the visitors who dropped to seventh in the 10-nation table.
The top four qualify for the World Cup finals while the fifth-placed team head into a play-off.
