Everton forward Richarlison has heaped praise on team-mate Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but insists the side 'must find ways of winning matches without key players'.
Calvert-Lewin hasn't featured for the Blues since August 28, when he scored a penalty in their 2-0 victory over Brighton in the Premier League.
The club confirmed last month that he'd suffered a setback in his rehabilitation from a quadriceps injury that has kept him sidelined for over two months.
He's yet to return to action and manager Rafa Benitez confirmed on Friday that he's set to miss another three weeks.
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Richarlison has described his team-mate as a 'top-level centre-forward' but 'completely' agrees with Benitez on what Everton must do in his absence.
"I have seen Calvert-Lewin grow into a top-level centre-forward in my time at the club," he told evertonfc.com.
"He is a guy with a lot of self-belief and completely committed to improving every aspect of his game.
"Any side would miss a striker of Dominic's quality. The same with Yerry Mina and Abdoulaye Doucoure, two big personalities in the middle of our team.
"But, I completely agree with the manager, we have to find ways of winning matches without those players.
"We have shown in some games that it is possible and, even though the squad is small, there is enough quality to manage this situation."
Benitez issued an update on a number of players ahead of their match against Manchester City on Sunday.
He said: "Each is different, they are getting better. You have to be sure they are fine. Doucoure is a metatarsal, so the bone has to heal. One week, two weeks maximum he will be fine. Dominic, three weeks.
"At the end of the day, you have a squad and you can't invent anything. Against Tottenham we changed a little bit, if we have to change against Man City we will do it."
