Abdoulaye Doucoure is back in team training as Everton could be set for a big boost against Crystal Palace.
The Toffees’ six-goal top scorer has been absent for 10 of the previous 11 fixtures because of two hamstring injuries. In that time, Sean Dyche’s side have won just once – which was against Palace in an FA Cup third-round replay – and have subsequently dropped into the Premier League relegation zone as they await the outcome of their appeal hearing after being hit by a 10-point deduction for breaching profit and sustainability rules.
However, Doucoure has been rubbing shoulders with the rest of his team-mates at Finch Farm in the build-up to Palace’s latest visit to Goodison on Monday (20.00 GMT) and it could well mean he returns to the match-day squad. But whether the midfielder is handed an immediate start is debatable. After missing almost a month, Doucoure played 90 minutes in a 0-0 draw against Aston Villa in January in which he suffered a hamstring issue on his opposite leg, although it was first thought that he was suffering from fatigue.
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