Boss set to decide on Armstrong dilemma

MOYES MUSES OVER RECALL FOR TEENAGER AMID MIDFIELD SELECTION PROBLEMS

- By JOE THOMAS Everton FC Correspondent

DAVID Moyes hopes to reach a decision on Harrison Armstrong's future over the Christmas period.

The Blues boss is contemplating whether to recall the teenager from his loan spell at Preston North End amid a selection crisis in his midfield. Idrissa Gueye, along with winger Iliman Ndiaye, could be unavailable until mid-January depending on how deep Senegal take their bid to win the Africa Cup of Nations.

Everton are also dealing with the loss of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall to a hamstring injury, while summer signing Merlin Rohl has failed to put together a sustained run of appearances due to injury problems.

It was the addition of Rohl in the final hours of the summer transfer window that led to Moyes sanctioning Armstrong's departure to Deepdale. He had agonised over the midfielder’s plight and whether to retain him at Finch Farm as a squad player or allow him to pursue his development by seeking first team football elsewhere.