Silva expects Everton playmaker to miss time

Everton held hosts Chelsea to a 0-0 draw earlier today in a chippy game that saw referee Kevin Friend make a number of puzzling disciplinary decisions.

Three particular instances drew the ire of the Everton fans: the horrific two-footed studs-up lunge on Gylfi Sigurdsson by Jorginho, Marcos Alonso taking out Theo Walcott at the ankles and an off-the-ball clash between Bernard and Anton Rudiger that saw the big defender writhing on the ground as if the Brazilian had attempted to behead him.

Blues manager Marco Silva wasn’t amused by Friend’s decision-making after the game, addressing first how the referee chose to book both Bernard and Rudiger.

“Bernard? I didn’t see nothing but you think Bernard, with his size, can do anything? I didn’t see. But I don’t believe.

“Did you see? What did you think?”

And Silva also stated that he was concerned about Sigurdsson’s injury, with the Icelander leaving the game in the closing stages for Phil Jagielka to come on for the first time since the season opener.

“Did you see the Jorginho tackle? What did you think?

“I hope we don’t lose Sigurdsson for the next matches after the Jorginho tackle.

“It’s the international break but I don’t even think he’s in condition to play in those matches.”