Source: Liverpool_Echo
Everton FC's Steven Pienaar out of Benfica Europa League game
EVERTON’S resources will be stretched to the limit in Portugal tomorrow night – after Steven Pienaar revealed his injured knee would not recover in time to make the trip to the Stadium of Light.
With long-term absentees Mikel Arteta, Phil Jagielka, Phil Neville and Victor Anichebe not expected to return for another month - and James Vaughan also ruled out, Blues boss David Moyes had hoped to include his South African schemer after he had missed the last three matches with a knee injury.
But Pienaar revealed last night that the game could come too soon for him.
“I didn’t expect it to be this sore,” he said. “It just takes time though as it needs to heal on it’s own. A few of the fibres split in my ligament so I have to rest and do my exercises.
“The Benfica match could be one game too soon but I am taking it day-by-day. At the moment I am struggling with running so I may have to wait until it feels stronger.”
In Arteta’s absence Everton have relied heavily on Pienaar’s creativity, although Russian midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov has stepped in with a number of assists since arriving from Lokotimov Moscow.
