Everton have revealed whether Vitaliy Mykolenko will undergo surgery after sustaining an ankle ligament injury during the Toffees’ 2-0 win over Liverpool last week.
The Ukrainian landed awkwardly on his foot after contesting an aerial ball but managed to continue until halftime.
Sean Dyche opted to substitute the left back at the interval, with Ashley Young coming on in his place. Mykolenko has been an ever-present this season, featuring 28 times in the Premier League.
However, the latest news indicates that Evertonians won’t be watching him until next season at the earliest.
Everton provide an update on Vitaliy Mykolenko’s ankle injury
Everton have now confirmed he won’t feature again this season after seeing a specialist.
The club revealed that the Ukrainian sustained ankle ligament damage during the incident.
Despite the disappointing news, one positive has emerged.
After being assessed by a specialist, the left-back won’t require surgery, which is a massive boost ahead of pre-season. His recovery time would’ve been considerably longer had he gone under the knife.
Extended pre-season for Vitaliy Mykolenko at Everton
Now that Everton’s Premier League status is secure, this news isn’t as damaging as it could’ve been. The extended time off gives Mykolenko time to fully recover ahead of next season.
In fact, everyone involved with the club can use the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign as a chance to effectively prepare. Three years in a row, floundering near the bottom of the table cannot be accepted.
Something has to change heading into the summer months.
The first aim for the club’s hierarchy is to resolve 777 Partners’ prospective takeover. The process has dragged on for far too long, and it’s the fans, players and management team who are going to suffer the most.
The sooner the saga is resolved, the better for everyone connected with Everton.