/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27633071/187469650.0.jpg)
Romelu Lukaku sustained an injury during the first half of Everton's 4-0 mauling at the hands of Liverpool today, and the initial reports weren't that promising. The paramedics treating the big Belgian after his collision with Gareth Barry apparently suggested he'd suffered ligament damage in his ankle, and we're starting to get news in from the club:
Martinez has revealed that Romelu Lukaku has suffered suspected ligament damage in tonight's game. #EFC boss says it looks "pretty bad" #LFC
— Richard Buxton (@Richard_Buxton_) January 28, 2014
Bear in mind that even the club won't know the extent of the issue until scans are done tomorrow, and that ankle damage tends not to be anything like as onerous as knee trouble. But even if things aren't quite as bad as they look, this is still not great. Lukaku needs as much playing time as he can get this season and after establishing himself as the number one striker for a top side, picking up an injury (during a slump, no less) is more or less the worst thing that could have happened to him.
Ugh.