Godfrey taken to hospital after suffering lower leg injury in Chelsea clash

Everton have confirmed Ben Godfrey has been taken to hospital after the defender suffered a serious lower leg injury.

Godfrey was injured in the 10th minute of Saturday’s Premier League match at Goodison Park, as Everton’s rotten luck with injuries continued.

The defender’s poor backpass resulted in Jordan Pickford attempting to keep the ball in play, and even though the England goalkeeper failed to do so, it was apparently not spotted by the officials.

Play continued and, in an attempt to rectify his mistake, Godfrey lunged in on Kai Havertz, making a clean challenge, but immediately signalled to the touchline and was clearly in some distress as he held his right leg.

After receiving treatment for eight minutes, the 24-year-old was taken off on a stretcher, with Mason Holgate replacing him.

Chelsea took the lead in the stoppage time created by Godfrey’s injury, with Jorginho scoring from the penalty spot after Abdoulaye Doucoure’s foul on Ben Chilwell.

At half-time, Everton confirmed Godfrey, who required oxygen as he was taken off the field, had been taken to hospital.

Frank Lampard was already without a recognised striker for Everton’s season opener, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin set to miss around six weeks with a knee injury sustained in training.

An examination of the starting 11 changes Sean Dyche could make for Everton’s next game with Bournemouth

After suffering a fourth consecutive home defeat on Saturday, with Luton Town securing a 2-1 victory – their first ever in the Premier League – could Everton manager Sean Dyche be tempted into ringing the changes for the visit of Bournemouth?

The Blues’ 1-0 victory over the Cherries on May 28, a result that ensured they avoided a first relegation in 72 years by a single goal, remains the last points Dyche’s side have secured at Goodison Park and the hosts will be desperate to try and get back to winning ways in their final fixture before the next international break and a return to action against Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby October 21.

You’d imagine that ii – captaining the side in Seamus Coleman’s absence – and Jarrad Branthwaite would retain the two centre-back berths ahead of Michael Keane and Ben Godfrey but both full-backs Ashley Young and Vitalii Mykolenko could come under pressure after their displays against the Hatters.

Fingers will be pointed at Young for enabling Luton captain Tom Lockyer to open the scoring, instead of clearing his lines while Mykolenko left Carlton Morris wide open at the back post for the second goal rather than keeping tabs on the centre-forward.

Nathan Patterson, who replaced Young in the second half, could come in at right-back, ensuring that the 38-year-old either reverts to the other side of defence with Godfrey also an alternative candidate.