“Michael Keane’s Hamstring Woes Add to Everton’s Growing Injury Headache”
Everton defender Michael Keane is doubtful for this weekend’s final pre-season friendly against Roma, according to the Liverpool ECHO.
The outlet reported on their website (8 August) that Keane is dealing with a minor hamstring issue, which might cause him to miss the match at Goodison Park on Saturday (10 August).
The 31-year-old has played a key role for Everton during pre-season, especially with injuries to James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite. The report mentions that Keane was in contention to start in the Premier League opener against Brighton the following weekend.
Although Keane could still be available for the Brighton match, he is in a race against time to regain full fitness, adding another challenge for Sean Dyche ahead of the new season.
Keane’s chances at Everton have taken another hit. He made 12 appearances across all competitions last season but has been out of favor in recent seasons at Goodison Park.
Dyche has preferred the partnership of Tarkowski and Branthwaite, who were pivotal in a defense that conceded only 51 goals last season, with only Liverpool, Manchester City, and Arsenal conceding fewer.
The injuries to Tarkowski and Branthwaite provided Keane with an opportunity to re-establish himself in Dyche’s plans this season, but instead, he has added to the manager’s injury concerns. With Mason Holgate and summer signing Jake O’Brien as the only fit senior center-backs available, Everton face a challenging start to the 2024/25 season, with matches against Brighton, Tottenham Hotspur, AFC Bournemouth, Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and Newcastle United in their first ten fixtures.