James Rodriguez among Everton players self-isolating for Premier League opener

Posted Friday, August 13, 2021 by PA

James Rodriguez is among five Everton players who are unavailable for Saturday’s Premier League opener against Southampton as they are isolating.

While Rafael Benitez, for whom the Goodison Park clash will be his first competitive match as Toffees boss, has not named all the players in the quintet, he did confirm Rodriguez was one of them.

Benitez will be able to call upon Dominic Calvert-Lewin – absent from last week’s friendly against Manchester United due to a knock – and Olympic gold-medallist Richarlison.

The signings brought in so far by the club over the summer are Demarai Gray, Andros Townsend and Asmir Begovic.

Southampton expect to have midfielder James Ward-Prowse available for the trip to Merseyside.

Ward-Prowse has returned to training after carrying a knee problem, so should be involved, but Will Smallbone (knee) continues his own long-term recovery.

Defender Jannik Vestergaard completed a move to Leicester on Friday afternoon, but summer recruits Romain Perraud, Valentino Livramento, forward Adam Armstrong and Armando Broja could all be in line for a debut.

Everton provisional squad: Pickford, Begovic, Kenny, Holgate, Keane, Digne, Mina, Nkounkou, Godfrey, Coleman, Allan, Doucoure, Gomes, Gbamin, Davies, Richarlison, Calvert-Lewin, Gray, Townsend, Iwobi, Kean, Gordon.

Southampton provisional squad: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Salisu, Bednarek, Perraud, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Redmond, S Armstrong, Diallo, A Armstrong, Forster, Stephens, Djenepo, Tella, Ferry, Obafemi, Walcott, Livramento, Broja