Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1182484
maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 6 NOVEMBER 2019 21 SPORTS UK FOOTBALL EVERTON midfielder Andre Gomes has undergone surgery on a fracture dislocation to his right ankle, with the club say- ing the procedure went "ex- tremely well". Gomes, 26, suffered the shocking injury when he fell awkwardly following a chal- lenge from Tottenham's Son Heung-min in Sunday's 1-1 draw at Goodison Park. "Everton Football Club can confirm Andre Gomes un- derwent surgery to repair a fracture dislocation to his right ankle earlier today and the procedure went extremely well," a club statement said. Gomes is expected to be sidelined for anywhere be- tween six months and a year given the seriousness of the injury, which left players from both sides visibly upset on the pitch at Goodison Park. "Andre will now spend some time recovering in hospi- tal, before returning to USM Finch Farm to start his reha- bilitation under the guidance of the club's medical staff. He is expected to make a full re- covery," the statement added. "On behalf of Andre, the club would like to thank all Everton supporters and mem- bers of the wider football family for the overwhelming messages of support we have received since yesterday's match." Gomes' injury overshadowed what had been a poor match between two under-perform- ing sides, in which VAR had been the major talking point prior to the incident. Though Everton cancelled out Dele Alli's opening goal with a Cenk Tosun header deep into the 12 minutes of time added on following Gomes' injury, there was little sense of cel- ebration at full-time. Everton defender Mason Holgate said he and his team- mates felt like they owed it to Gomes to get a result, but the draw still felt like a defeat. "It is hard when something like that happens to get going again but we showed fight and went again," Holgate said. "But it shows what we are about as a team. We got to- gether and I think it drove us on a bit more once we got go- ing, trying to do it for him. "It was really flat (in the dress- ing room). It was like we had been beaten. "He is all our friend and our team-mate so we are all gutted and wishing him the best." That Everton were able to force an equaliser was a credit to the players in the circum- stances, although Tottenham's players were also affected with Son - who was sent off for the tackle after initially being shown a yellow card - in tears and Serge Aurier, who collided with Gomes, substituted. Unfortunately it did not alter the club's overall circumstanc- es with just one win in seven league matches leaving them 17th, just three points above the bottom three. Gomes surgery goes 'extremely well' Everton's Andre Gomes will be out for six to 12 months