Everton had the worst injury record in the Premier League last season and unfortunately, the fitness issues have now leaked into their latest campaign with a new update emerging.

What’s the latest?

The Athletic’s Everton reporter Patrick Boyland has revealed that James Garner is set to be sidelined for at least two months.

As per the report, the newly-signed midfielder has suffered a back injury that saw him miss out on Everton’s mini-tour of Australia and will lead to an extended spell out of the squad.

Lampard will be frustrated

There is no doubt the latest news on Garner will be extremely frustrating for Frank Lampard with Tom Davies also suffering an injury concern earlier this week which leaves Everton's midfield depth extremely thin.

The Toffees are currently just one point above the relegation zone after a poor run of form in the top flight and will need to put on some winning performances when they return to action after Christmas to ensure they don't find themselves struggling in another relegation scrap over the second half of the season.

Idrissa Gana Gueye and Amadou Onana are currently at the World Cup in Qatar with their respective nations, so Lampard will be hopeful that the dynamic midfield duo can resume their duties at Goodison Park without picking up any issues or fatigue whilst taking part in the prestigious international tournament.

Although Garner has not been a key player in the centre of the pitch for the Toffees so far, he is a young prospect that Lampard has been easing into the team over the season so far, with the former Manchester United wonderkid averaging 23 minutes per game over six league appearances.

Now that both the 21-year-old midfielder and Davies are not likely to be available for selection when Everton take on Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day, Lampard will need to depend on Abdoulaye Doucoure to provide the depth in midfield with very few experienced options left in the squad.

With that being said, the Everton manager will be hoping that Garner's injury won't keep him out of contention to play his part in the team for too long as he could be a vital player in the club's pursuit for crucial points in the Premier League.