Andrew Johnson doubt adds to Everton selection dilemma

Mar 19 2008 by Ian Doyle, Liverpool Daily Post

DAVID MOYES is facing a selection headache up front after Andrew Johnson was confirmed as a major doubt for the weekend visit of West Ham United.

Johnson is undergoing intensive treatment on the groin strain that forced him to hobble off just 14 minutes into the 1-0 defeat at Fulham on Sunday.

With Victor Anichebe having suffered a hip injury and James Vaughan sidelined after a knee operation, top scorer Yakubu is at present the only fit senior striker on Everton’s books.

Ongoing concerns over the fitness of Tim Cahill, Manuel Fernandes, Thomas Gravesen and Andy van der Meyde have left Moyes seriously short of attacking options.

The Goodison Park manager had to employ Joleon Lescott as a makeshift centre-forward as Everton chased the game in vain after falling behind to Brian McBride’s goal at Craven Cottage.

That defeat left Moyes’s men three points adrift of neighbours Liverpool in the race for fourth place, with home victory over the Hammers on Saturday evening an imperative ahead of the pivotal Merseyside derby at Anfield on March 30.

And Everton are willing to give Johnson every chance to prove his fitness for the weekend.

“AJ had a scan on Monday and it revealed what we thought it would,” said head of physio Mick Rathbone.

“The player has a groin strain and we’ll do everything we can to get him fit before the weekend.”

Anichebe failed a fitness test shortly before kick-off on Sunday, and is also touch-and-go for Saturday.

“Victor jarred his hip in training on Friday and with him it’s very much a case of wait-and-see,” added Rathbone.

Everton are confident that deal to make permanent the stay of another creative player, Steven Pienaar, can be concluded by the end of the week.

A fee has already been agreed with Borussia Dortmund, from whom the South African is on a season-long loan, and Pienaar is thought close to finalising personal terms, although reports in Germany suggest Valencia and Arsenal are monitoring developments closely.

Meanwhile, Joleon Lescott has explained why he has followed the likes of Mikel Arteta, Leon Osman, Tony Hibbert, Vaughan, Anichebe, Johnson and Cahill in committing his long-term future to the club.

The England international defender put pen to paper on a four-year deal last week, and he said: “I was obviously happy to sign because I always knew my future was here.

“The club has shown faith in me and I see it as a great achievement for myself to get a new, extended deal so soon after arriving.

“This is a club on the up. We are looking at being involved in Europe every season and progressing further than we have done already. The club is very ambitious and is one of the few clubs in England that has progressed in the last few years.”

Crewe Alexandra have provisionally agreed to extend Patrick Boyle’s loan until the end of the season.

The 20-year-old left-back, who is out of contract in the summer, joined the Coca-Cola League One side in January.