Everton Football Club News

• Nickname:Toffees
• Founded:1878
• Manager:David Moyes

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Johnson takes no chances

06 Oct 2006 - 14:49:05

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Everton striker Andrew Johnson sees no reason why he will not be fit enough to play in next weekend's Premiership clash at Middlesbrough.

The former Birmingham City and Crystal Palace forward was forced to pull out of the England squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against FYR Macedonia and Croatia because of a hamstring injury but says his recovery is going well.

He told Everton's official website: "I'm gutted about that (missing the England matches), but the main thing is that I get it right for the next game which is a week on Saturday.

"The hamstring's getting better. It was a bit sore in Saturday's game and that's why I came off for the last couple of minutes.

"I've been getting intense treatment on it every day with Baz (head physio Mick Rathbone) and it's coming along. But I can still feel it and that's why I had to pull out of the England set-up.

"I had a problem with the same hamstring three or four years ago and I was out for ten weeks and that's the last thing I want at the moment."