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Everton host Newcastle United in the Premier League on Saturday evening, and Sean Dyche faces welcoming the Magpies to Merseyside with a very injury-ravished team.

It goes from bad to worse for the Toffees ahead of the Toon travelling from Tyneside with an influx of players requiring treatment at Finch Farm. Everton took their first win of the season last time out with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace, but fitness problems could be a problem.

Beating the Eagles kicked Everton’s season into gear after taking one point through their first five fixtures. Yet the Blues’ back is still only a single point to the relegation zone ahead of the next international break. The pause in league action will be welcome amid Everton’s injuries.

Vitaliy Mykolenko joins Everton’s injury list ahead of hosting Newcastle United

Dyche has confirmed that Everton will be without Youssef Chermiti, Armando Broja, Seamus Coleman and Nathan Patterson through injury against Newcastle. But the Blues may even be without Jarrad Branthwaite with fears rising that the centre-half has sustained a quad injury.

Their absences already have Dyche preparing to face Eddie Howe’s team with an arm behind his back and the Blues boss’ task has only got tougher. TaToTake is now reporting that Vitaliy Mykolenko has joined Everton’s increasing injury list ahead of the Toffees hosting Newcastle.

The Ukrainian publication reports Everton have received bad news after sending Mykolenko for scans on a potential calf muscle injury. It revealed that the issue was worse than the club initially felt and that the 25-year-old will now face a few weeks on the sidelines in the break.

Mykolenko, who Dyche has praised for being ‘excellent’ before, is now a major doubt to link up with the Ukraine squad for their UEFA Nations League fixtures against Georgia and Czech Republic this month. He had started in each of the Blue and Yellow’s matches in September.

Sean Dyche may have to rely on James Garner at right-back again

Losing Mykolenko to an injury ahead of hosting Newcastle will act as a bitter blow for Dyche given Everton’s other fitness concerns. The left-back had also only just returned to the team against Crystal Palace after missing Everton’s earlier Premier League game at Leicester City.

A bout of illness prevented Mykolenko from facing the Foxes, as well as Southampton in the Carabao Cup. But he returned to the Toffees’ side against the Eagles ahead of Ashley Young, who reverted to right-back. James Garner may now have to play out of position once more.

Dyche relied on Garner to deputise at right-back when Young covered for Mykolenko against Leicester. Given Patterson and Coleman remain absent and Branthwaite is a doubt, Garner’s chances of the start against Newcastle grow if Mykolenko’s injury rules the Everton star out.

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