Sean Dyche: Seamus Coleman is going to be out longer than we hoped

Dyche also spoke about how Jake O'Brien is settling in at Everton.

WORSE THAN FIRST FEARED: Seamus Coleman is facing an extended spell out. Pic: Ben McShane/Sportsfile

Everton manager Sean Dyche has confirmed that Seamus Coleman’s injury is worse than first feared.

The Toffees captain suffered the knock during the Republic of Ireland's Nations League defeat to England at the Aviva Stadium recently.

It had been hoped that the damage wasn't too severe but speaking ahead of Everton's trip to Leicester City this weekend, Dyche admitted the 35-year-old will face an extended period out of action, putting him in doubt for Ireland's double-header away to Finland and Greece in October.

“Seamus is still injured and unfortunately it’s going to be longer than we hoped,” he said. "That’s not going to be a quick situation, we’re not sure of the timescales yet.”

Everton are yet to pick up a point in the Premier League this season and went out of the Carabao Cup to Southampton in midweek following a penalty shoot-out.

Dyche was down to the bare bones, with an injury crisis compounded by the loss through illness of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Vitalii Mykolenko and James Garner.

Garner has not yet recovered but Calvert-Lewin and Mykolenko were back in training on Thursday, while Dyche is also hopeful that defenders James Tarkowski and Michael Keane will be passed fit.

Tarkowski missed the cup game with a minor back problem while Keane, who did play in midweek, is set to have a precautionary scan.

Key defender Jarrad Branthwaite, meanwhile, is set to feature for the under-21s this weekend following groin surgery during the summer, with Nathan Patterson in the same situation.

The Blues crisis in defence could pave the way for Cork native Jake O'Brien to finally have an extended run in the side.

The 23-year-old joined the Merseysiders for €20 million from Lyon in the summer and made his first Premier League appearance in their 3-2 defeat away to Aston Villa last weekend.

“He’s adapting to what it is. The nuts and bolts and nuances of the Premier League are different, without a doubt," added Dyche.

“But he is adapting well. We want a continuation of that.

“The biggest challenge is the real stuff when the Premier League whistle blows, that’s always the biggest challenge when they come from situations where they haven’t played in the Premier League, it’s about picking it up quickly and learning about the Premier League.”