Gomes facing six to 12-month Everton absence

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Andrew Goldberg claims Everton’s Andre Gomes is facing between six months and a year on the sidelines after ankle surgery. The Portugal international midfielder suffered a fracture dislocation when he fell badly following a challenge from Tottenham’s Son Heung-min, who was sent off in tears during Sunday’s 1-1 draw.
Gomes has already undergone surgery on the ankle which Everton say went “extremely well” and they expect him to make a full recovery.
Goldberg, a surgeon at The Wellington Hospital, part of HCA UK, has thrown a positive light on the injury by claiming the player could be back on the training ground inside six months.
That would see Gomes potentially be in line to return to action for the start of the 2020-21 Premier League season.
But Goldberg warned: “This is a really serious injury and there are a lot of things that could impede recovery. You have to go in with optimism. With any injury there is a risk that it might be too severe and he might never get back, but that risk is always there. “It was a serious injury but if the blood supply wasn’t too severely damaged, if the ligaments heal back again and his rehab goes to plan, it will take six months to a year.”
Goldberg also absolved Tottenham star Son Heung-min of any blame, despite the South Korean being red carded for the tackle which led to the “freak injury”.
He insisted that Son’s tackle only knocked Gomes off balance and his awkward landing on a flexed foot, which sent his entire bodyweight through the ligaments and bones of his foot, caused the damage.
Cenk Tosun rescued a point for the Toffees in stoppage time as he cancelled out Dele Alli’s earlier effort for Spurs.
The draw was enough to move Everton three points clear of Southampton in the final relegation place.