Sean Dyche could face Everton dilemma for Crystal Palace with double injury boost

Everton will hope to have top scorer Abdoulaye Doucoure back in contention to face Crystal Palace at Goodison Park following a nine-day gap after their trip to Manchester City.

The Blues host the Eagles on Monday February, 19 and manager Sean Dyche could be boosted by having leading marksman Doucoure, who has found the next six times this term, including in the reverse fixture at Selhurst Park on November 11, fit again. The 31-year-old midfielder has featured in just once of Everton’s last 11 matches since going off at half-time in their 2-0 success at Burnley on December 16, which remains their most-recent Premier League victory to date.

Doucoure was absent with a hamstring injury until he returned for the goalless draw at home to Aston Villa on January 14 but was then sidelined again with a similar problem in his other leg. Speaking after Everton’s 2-0 defeat to reigning champions Manchester City, Dyche said: “We will hopefully have better news during this week on Douc as well being out on the grass.”

Doucoure’s potential return to the most-advanced central midfield berth could see Jack Harrison revert to his usual position on the right wing. In turn, Ashley Young who has been filling in playing that role, operating in the kind of more advanced areas where he spent much of his time earlier in his career, could see the 38-year-old drop back to right-back after Ben Godfrey was forced off through injury after 55 minutes at the Etihad Stadium.

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If Young was to be restored to defence, he would have to get the nod over the likes of club captain