Sam Allardyce says someone at Everton is in for 'a b*********' over statement Gylfi Sigurdsson will miss eight weeks
Everton suggested the midfielder's knee injury would sideline him for six to eight weeks, something Allardyce insists might not the case
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Your support makes all the difference.Sam Allardyce is optimistic club-record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson will be back before the end of the season and promised to give anyone who thought otherwise a b*********.
Everton suggested in a statement on Wednesday the Iceland midfielder's knee injury would sideline him for six to eight weeks. Allardyce, however, is unhappy with that estimation.
"Someone gave out the wrong statement. It can be less than that," he said. "Whoever gave that statement out is going to get a b********* today - so well done.
"You cannot predict a length of injury in its entirety because you have people who heal quicker. Obviously Gylfi's recovery time could be shorter than we might expect.
"Medics and specialists give a conservative view and you try to beat that and try to get Gylfi back as soon as you can.
"We have a highly-qualified medical staff and equipment to try to speed up any injury and I always felt it the wrong thing to do to tag an injury for its time limits because people recover quicker than others.
"You want to avoid setbacks so they don't react that time and if you can get it before then you have perhaps done well.
"For me it is how is it in the next two weeks? When you sustain an injury immediately after there is a settling down period and then it is how quickly the player recovers.
"Gylfi's motivation is obviously to get back playing for us and playing for Iceland in the World Cup."
Sigurdsson's absence offers a potential vacancy in the number 10 role, which could be filled by Wayne Rooney, Tom Davies or even forgotten man Davy Klaassen.
The Holland international made his first Premier League appearance since September as a late substitute in last weekend's win over Brighton.
Asked whether it offered the Dutchman a chance Allardyce said: "It may do. It's been a struggle for Davy since he arrived but when he gets an opportunity and if he gets an opportunity hopefully he will shine and show what he achieved at Ajax."
Allardyce has spoken to Klaassen, whose deadline day move to Napoli collapsed at the last minute, a number of times about the difficulties he has had since arriving in the summer for £23.6million.
"It's not just Davy who has struggled in his first season in the Premier League," he said. "The first year can be the very hardest and once they've had their first season under their belt the season after they know what it's all about and they felt the disappointment of not performing to the level they wanted to.
"There is an ongoing pressure on every player brought to a club - especially with today's prices the expectation starts right from the beginning and that is sometimes difficult to produce your best performances."
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