Schneiderlin and Mirallas dismissed from training

UPDATE - 5pm BST, 12pm EST

Morgan Schneiderlin has denied the rumours that he was thrown out of training following a disagreement with Assistant Coach Duncan Ferguson. In a tweet just posted, the Frenchman insisted that he was still committed to the club, but gave no more details.

There were five omissions from the squad list announced for Everton’s game against Watford FC today, of which more than a couple were surprising. Morgan Schneiderlin, Kevin Mirallas, and Nikola Vlasic weren’t on the list oddly enough, while outcasts Davy Klaassen and Sandro Ramirez were not even expected on it.

In a late report from Sky Sports though, it now appears that Schneiderlin and Mirallas were dropped from the matchday squad after being sent away from the Saturday training session. The story goes on to say that the pair were dismissed for showing “a lack of effort”.

This latest news of discord within the Toffees squad is particularly galling especially since Evertonians have been particularly frustrated by what has looked like lackadaisical attitudes from the players within games.

Schneiderlin particularly has been quite terrible in recent weeks, and was the Blues worst player by a country mile in the midweek game at Lyon. To rub salt into that wound, the Frenchman was sent off late in the game for a terrible challenge. Now the news that he has been slacking off during practice will only increase the ire of the fans towards the midfielder.

Coupled with the rise of the teenager Beni Baningime, who has settled in very comfortably in the holding midfielder role, Schneiderlin’s future presence on this squad is starting to look unnecessary and he will likely move on during the January transfer window.

Another player who could be leaving is Mirallas, who has expressed previously that he tried to leave the club over the summer and has not been shy about his comments regarding his marginal use.

The Belgian resorted to Instagram today, first to wish his teammates playing today all the best, and then after the game with this mysterious post.

Within minutes of posting this however he took it down, to add to the whole mystery surrounding him.

There will be more to come on this affair undoubtedly as the Blues go into the international break with a win to finally lift the gloom that surrounded the club for the last few weeks.