Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin suffers broken toe

Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be out of action until after the October international break because of a broken toe, with his loss a huge blow for the Toffees.

Calvert-Lewin had scored a goal in each of Everton’s first three games of the new Premier League season in a characteristically blistering start for the 24-year-old.

Calvert-Lewin was left out of Everton’s starting XI against Burnley on Monday night, with manager Rafa Benitez explaining the reason for the number nine’s absence.

“He has broken his toe,” Bentiez admitted prior to kick-off.

“He was training with problems and playing with pain. He had an injury the other day to his quadriceps and we have to wait two to three weeks, maybe more.”

A two-week absence at the lower end of Benitez’s estimate will rule Calvert-Lewin out of additional upcoming Premier League games against Aston Villa and Norwich, as well as against QPR in the EFL Cup. Missing for three weeks would also keep him out against Manchester United in October.

If Calvert-Lewin does not return to action inside the next three weeks, he won’t play again for Everton until after the October international break – the Toffees face West Ham on 17 October.

It is not clear when the striker suffered the injury. He was named in the England squad for this month’s triple header of World Cup qualifiers but was forced to withdraw with a thigh strain prior to the first game against Hungary.

It would suggest that his toe injury is likely to have happened in training with Everton in recent days.

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