Everton blow confirmed with Andros Townsend facing knee surgery

Everton have been handed a blow in their fight for survival after winger Andros Townsend was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a serious knee injury.

The 30-year-old was forced off after 16 minutes of Everton’s 4-0 defeat at Crystal Palace in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Sunday. Townsend had started brightly against his former club. But he needed assistance to leave the pitch from two of the Toffees’ medical staff with the game goalless.

Frank Lampard had feared the worst for the attacker and said it looked “a bad injury” after Townsend “got his studs stuck in the grass”.

Now a scan has revealed the former England international has suffered anterior cruciate ligament damage which will require surgery.

The news is a big blow for the Merseyside club as they battle relegation from the top flight.

A club statement read: “Andros Townsend will miss the rest of the season after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury during Sunday’s FA Cup quarter-final tie at Crystal Palace.

“A scan revealed Townsend’s ACL knee injury and he will undergo surgery next week before starting his rehabilitation with Everton’s medical staff at Finch Farm (training complex).”

Townsend has started 17 Premier League games this season, scoring three times and producing two assists.

Everton are just three points above the bottom three with 11 games of the campaign remaining. They face European challengers West Ham and Manchester United as well as relegation rivals Burnley in their next three outings.

Townsend reveals possession target

Townsend recently revealed the positive impact of Lampard’s arrival at Goodison.

“We knew we had to use the energy of the crowd,” Townsend told the club’s official website after the win over Brentford.

“We started on the front foot, the boys pressed well and worked really hard. Nine times out of 10, when you run your socks off and work hard, you get your reward. Today we got that.

“We’ve been in the 30s and 40s, which, for a club the size of Everton, is nowhere near good enough. So, first and foremost, in training we’ve been working on keeping the ball, enjoying the ball.”

READ MORE: Everton transfer poised to collapse with Lampard facing £23m striker problem

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