Roberto Martinez has suggested Séamus Coleman and James McCarthy may not be made available for the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2016 qualifiers later this month.
The pair were left behind in Liverpool today (Wednesday) as the Toffees squad travelled to Russia ahead of their Europa League tie with FC Krasnodar tomorrow.
Coleman has missed three games since suffering a concussion in the 4-1 Europa League win over Wolfsburg on September 18th and that has been complicated by a “soft-tissue problem”, according to the manager. McCarthy suffered a “tightening of his quad” in the wake of Saturday’s Merseyside derby draw with Liverpool.
Martinez today said McCarthy, along with defender Sylvain Distin, is “not too far away from being fully fit” but warned there is a “question mark” over both for Manchester United at Old Trafford on Sunday (12pm), and then added: “It is not going to be any later than after the international break.
“James has got a tightening of his quad. He has played a lot of football and he is feeling a bit fatigued. It’s not a real injury and I am not concerned by that.”
On Coleman, Martinez took a slightly harder line and suggested a rest during the international break, when Ireland take on Gibraltar on October 11th and Germany away on October 14th, would benefit the Killybegs man.
“Séamus Coleman had concussion against Wolfsburg but then he suffered a little bit of a soft tissue problem. I don’t think it will be too long [before he is fully fit]. I think the international break will clear those injuries.”
Ireland would be in bad place if they could not cope without the pair against Gibraltar, but losing one, or even both, ahead of a trip to face the world champions in Gelsenkirchen would be another matter entirely.
Martin O’Neill is due to cut his 37-man squad to 23 before the squad assembles in Dublin next Tuesday.
McCarthy's absence against Krasnodar means there is a chance fellow Ireland midfielder Darron Gibson will get some more game time ahead of the international break. Gibson's only start of the season since his return to fitness after almost a year out with a knee injury came against Wolfsburg.
In the absence of Martinez’s main injury worry, Kevin Mirallas, Aiden McGeady looks likely to start, not least due to the former Spartak Moscow man’s familiarity with Everton’s opponents.
Mirallas is facing “a while” on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury suffered against Liverpool, with Martinez admitting the signs are “not great” ahead of a proper prognosis when the inflammation eases.
