Everton could be missing their main strikers when they face Saints at Goodison Park in the Premier League opener, news that will come as a a relief to Southampton supporters as the club bids to win at Goodison Park in the Premier League since 1997.

Dominic Calvert Lewin is a big doubt for the Toffee's against Saints on Saturday, the England striker only returned from International duty 10 days ago after his rest before joining up with the Everton squad for pre season.

That pre season was almost immediately interrupted with Calvert Lewin picking up a foot injury that meant he was unable to play in a friendly against Manchester United at Old Trafford at the weekend and reports from Merseyside suggest that he is a big doubt for the game against Saints.

Details are sketchy but he appears to have damaged a toe and that may be a little tricky to play with if not fully healed.

Also a doubt is Richarlison who only arrives back on Merseyside today after a non stop summer that since the final day of the Premier League season on 32rd May has seen him play in three competitions for Brazil, starting with 2 games in the World Cup qualification group in the first week of June, following that up a week later with 7 games in the space of a month in the Copa America tournament and then straight to the Olympic squad jetting off to Japan for the Olympic games and another 6 games in the Olympic Football tournament.

If 15 games in the space of 60 days hasn't been bad enough, the final two of the Olympic tournament saw him play extra time in both the semi and the Final which Brazil won by beating Spain at the weekend.

In effect Richarlison has played 11 straight months of competitive football without a break since starting last season on 13th September, that totals 59 games.

The Liverpool Echo report that Richarlison was only allowed to go to the Olympics on condition that he was available for the game against Saints, he will be back with the squad, but will he really be able to go straight into the side to play Saints after such a gruelling schedule.

If he doesn't have a break then it could come back to haunt the Blues later in the season and with a World Cup looming next summer as well it could be a case of going two years without any sort of break.

So Everton fans are not looking towards the game with Saints with any sort of confidence, especially as they will have their two main strikers not at 100% or even not there at all.

Photo: Action Images

TimSaint added 13:09 - Aug 11 Richarlison always scores against us, even when he has a poor game. I sincerely hope he is unavailable this weekend.
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SaintPaulVW added 14:11 - Aug 11 Given our usual bad starts to seasons, a solid defensive 0-0 will do me, although a goal to bed in one of our new strikers would be a great start to the season COYR
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EDLiner added 14:47 - Aug 11 The world cup is in December next time, so he would have next summer off. If I am being picky.
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