Everton take on Manchester United in the EFL Cup quarter-final on Wednesday and Carlo Ancelotti has revealed that playmaker James Rodriguez will not be a part of the matchday squad.
The South American has been recovering from a calf injury due to which he has missed the last couple of matches in the Premier League and it looks like he will be ready to return to action on Boxing Day vs Sheffield United
“We are not concerned, we are sad because James is an important player for us, but if he is not ready we don’t have to push and force him to come back,” said Ancelotti, as per the club’s official website.
“We have to wait a little bit. He is going to recover well and properly. The season finishes in May – for all the players, they need a proper rehab to avoid problems in the future, when the season might be more important than now.
“James can be available for the next game, or the game after [Manchester City on 28 December].
“We have games every three days. He is working individually, so has to start working with the team before he starts to play.”
🤕| Carlo Ancelotti confirms that James Rodriguez will miss Everton’s Carabao Cup Quarter Final Match against Manchester United tomorrow! #EFC pic.twitter.com/aShkL58i6K
— Everton FC News 🇨🇴 (@NilSatisNews) December 22, 2020
This will undoubtedly be a big setback for the Everton boss since James Rodriguez has been a key player for the Toffees ever since he joined the club in the summer.
In his 10 appearances in the Premier League so far this campaign, the 29-year-old has scored three and assisted three goals for the Goodison Park outfit.
On the other hand, this is a big plus for Man United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer since his midfielders will have one less creative player to worry about.
