Everton captain Seamus Coleman insists the the Toffees "don't want to be harping on about injuries, there's plenty of other teams doing that", in the wake of clubs such as Liverpool having encountered fitness troubles this season.
Carlo Ancelotti's side have suffered plenty of fitness setbacks this season, just as their neighbours from across Stanley Park have done.
A string of untimely knocks at Anfield have been blamed for Jurgen Klopp's side surrendering their grip on the Premier League title, but those at Goodison Park are not looking for excuses in an ongoing bid to secure European qualification.
What has been said?
Coleman told Sky Sports in the wake of a 0-0 draw at Brighton that has left the Toffees eighth in the table: "We don't want to be harping on about injuries, there's plenty of other teams doing that.
"Unfortunately for us, we’ve missed quite a few lads through injury but, as the manager touched on beforehand, he never complains about the players who are out. It’s about the players who are playing.
"Saying that, we’re six points off fifth with a game in hand. We’ve got Tottenham at home coming up and we’ve got something to play for between now and the end of the season."
Was that a veiled dig at Liverpool?
Coleman was asked by Reds legend Jamie Carragher whether he had Liverpool in mind when making his injury quip, with the defender quick to bat away such talk.
He said: “No, that might be in your head, Jamie.”
There is, however, no escaping the fact that fitness issues at Anfield have dominated headlines this season, to the point that rivals may be growing a little tired of hearing about them.
The bigger picture
Everton cannot afford to waste any energy concerning themselves with events at Liverpool, with focus on the blue half of Merseyside locked on a final eight-game sprint past the finishing post.
Ancelotti will hope to be as close to full strength as he can be for the vast majority of those fixtures, but he does have a number of senior stars in the treatment room at present.
Abdoulaye Doucoure has starred on the back of a big-money move from Watford, but is now nursing a foot fracture, while no return dates have been set for Fabian Delph, Yerry Mina, Josh King and Jean-Philppe Gbamin.
Jordan Pickford, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Allan and Andre Gomes have also suffered setbacks of late, forcing them to sit out the stalemate at Brighton, but the Toffees are hoping to have that quartet back for a home date with Spurs on Friday.
Further reading
- 'Calvert-Lewin would be a fantastic signing for Man Utd'
- Ancelotti addresses Everton’s links to Koulibaly
- Ancelotti picks out dream Everton signing