Christian Norgaard, the former Arsenal midfielder who made the switch to Everton this summer, is still battling a groin injury and won’t be back on the pitch until well after the September international break. This isn’t just a bummer, it’s a gut punch for a player desperate for minutes and a club that needs every ounce of experience it can get.
Norgaard’s Bad Luck Is Hitting Everton Hard
Talk about a tough break! Norgaard left Arsenal, fresh off a Premier League title win, all with the clear intention of racking up regular minutes at his new club. Instead? He’s spent the entire start of Everton’s season watching from the sidelines. Four games missed already, all due to that nagging groin injury. And the frustrating part is, the wait isn’t over yet. Everton boss David Moyes dropped the news, confirming the team isn’t expecting Norgaard back before those September international matches are done and dusted. Moyes tried to put a positive spin on it, saying Norgaard “is just starting to make a little bit of progress” and that they’ll “need his experience and an extra body going forward.” Yeah, no kidding, coach. We need him now! That “little bit of progress” just doesn’t cut it when you’re missing key players right out of the gate.
Big Games Missed And A New Face Stepping Up
So, what exactly is Norgaard missing out on while he’s recovering? He’s set to sit out some absolute crunch matches. We’re talking Everton’s trip away to Tottenham Hotspur, a tough League Cup third round clash at home against Wolves, and another Premier League battle at home to Ipswich Town. These aren’t just any games; they’re opportunities for Everton to build momentum early in the season, and they’re doing it without a player who was brought in to make a real impact.
But it’s not all doom and gloom for Everton. In a surprising twist of good news also involving a former Arsenal player, Ainsley Maitland-Niles just had a debut for the ages! The 29-year-old right-back came on for his Toffees debut in the 77th minute against Manchester United on Sunday. And wouldn’t you know it, he fired in a vital equalizer in the 96th minute! Talk about making an entrance. You absolutely couldn’t hope for a better start than that.
The wait continues for Norgaard and his groin injury. Everton will be desperate to get their 32-year-old Danish midfielder back on the pitch after the international break, especially with the fixtures piling up. But for now, they’ll have to rely on players like Maitland-Niles, who showed everyone what a difference a fresh face can make. Let’s hope Norgaard’s recovery speeds up, because that experience is going to be crucial as the season rolls on!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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