EVERTON’S derby preparations were dealt a hammer blow today when Tim Cahill was almost certainly ruled out for the rest of the season.
The Blues’ influential midfielder hobbled off during Saturday’s 1-1 draw against West Ham with a recurrence of the metatarsal problem that has already sidelined him twice in the last 12 months.
Cahill, whose 10 goals in 28 appearances had made him Everton’s second top scorer, missed Australia’s 0-0 draw with China in Kunming yesterday and will not be part of the Blues side that travels to Anfield on Sunday.
And it is looking increasingly likely that Cahill has kicked his final ball of the campaign as – if the diagnosis is as bad as feared – he will be forced to spend anything between six and 12 weeks on the sidelines.
When Cahill broke the fifth metatarsal in his left foot during a 1-1 draw against Sheffield United at Bramall Lane last March, he didn’t make another appearance for the Blues until a pre-season friendly against Werder Bremen – and suffered the same injury again.
He returned with all guns blazing, however, and scored in his comeback outing against Larissa before embarking on a scoring spree that has helped thrust Everton firmly into the mix for a place in next season’s Champions League.
David Moyes, meanwhile, is relishing the chance to pit his wits against Rafael Benitez once again this weekend and hopes that derbies where Liverpool and Everton are at the top end of the table become the norm.
Everton have closed the gap on Liverpool since Moyes took charge in March 2002 but he is still seeking a first victory on enemy territory and knows his side will once again be underdogs, even though they have only lost three times in the Premier League since last October.
“I am in a privileged position to be manager of Everton,” said Moyes. “We have always had an uphill task because Liverpool Football Club are very strong but (being involved in these games) is something I will always remember.
“You tend not to look at it just now awfully clearly because you are in it but maybe in years to come by I will look back at it. I enjoy it and coming from a city like Glasgow where you have Celtic and Rangers I understand the same with Everton and Liverpool.
“It plays a big part like all derbies in major cities but that is what attracts you to the real football cities where they tend to have good old fashioned derbies.
“For many years Everton haven’t really been able to compete as closely as we would like but we are now on the shoulders of Liverpool and a couple of other teams and we have got to try and stay there.”
