Midfielder Marouane Fellaini's father has claimed that Everton ignored medical advice from doctors and continued to play his son, an allegation the Toffees strenuously deny. The Belgium international is out for the rest of the season with an ankle injury after limping out of their 2-0 victory over Sunderland on Saturday and will undergo surgery on Monday.
According to his father, Abdellatif, the 22-year-old had been told to rest after picking the initial problem up in their FA Cup win over Chelsea earlier in February.
"Marouane is really depressed," Fellaini's father said.
"Everton made him play against Sunderland even though the doctors had prescribed rest for him. I don't know how they can have finally decided otherwise."
This is now the second season in succession that the player has been ruled out, following ankle ligament damage.
The club have spoken out on Fellaini's father's claims, with a spokesman denying that he was made to take the field to face Sunderland.
"It's utter nonsense to suggest Marouane was forced to play," the spokesman said.
