Everton manager Sam Allardyce is optimistic club-record signing Gylfi Sigurdsson will be back before the end of the season.
The club suggested in a statement on Wednesday the Iceland midfielderâs knee injury would sideline him for six to eight weeks.
However, Alladyce was unhappy with that estimation.
âSomeone gave out the wrong statement. It can be less than that. Whoever gave that statement out is going to get a b********g today â so well done,â said the Toffees boss.
âYou cannot predict a length of injury in its entirety because you have people who heal quicker. Obviously Gylfiâs recovery time could be shorter than we might expect.
âMedics and specialists give a conservative view and you try to beat that and try to get Gylfi back as soon as you can.
âWe have a highly-qualified medical staff and equipment to try to speed up any injury and I always felt it the wrong thing to do to tag an injury for its time limits because people recover quicker than others.
âYou want to avoid setbacks so they donât react that time and if you can get it before then you have perhaps done well.
âFor me it is how is it in the next two weeks? When you sustain an injury immediately after there is a settling down period and then it is how quickly the player recovers.
âGylfiâs motivation is obviously to get back playing for us and playing for Iceland in the World Cup.â
Sigurdssonâs absence offers a potential vacancy in the number 10 role, which could be filled by Wayne Rooney, Tom Davies or even forgotten man Davy Klaassen.
The Holland international made his first Premier League appearance since September as a late substitute in last weekendâs win over Brighton.
Asked whether it offered the Dutchman a chance Allardyce said: âIt may do.
âItâs been a struggle for Davy since he arrived but when he gets an opportunity and if he gets an opportunity hopefully he will shine and show what he achieved at Ajax.â
Allardyce has spoken to Klaassen, whose deadline day move to Napoli collapsed at the last minute, a number of times about the difficulties he has had since arriving in the summer for ÂŁ23.6million.
âItâs not just Davy who has struggled in his first season in the Premier League,â he said.
âThe first year can be the very hardest and once theyâve had their first season under their belt the season after they know what itâs all about and they felt the disappointment of not performing to the level they wanted to.
âThere is an ongoing pressure on every player brought to a club â especially with todayâs prices the expectation starts right from the beginning and that is sometimes difficult to produce your best performances.â
Allardyce was spotted at Manchester Unitedâs midweek Champions League match with Sevilla, whose midfielder Steven Nzonzi has been linked with a reunion with the Toffees boss having signed him at former club Blackburn.
Asked about his trip to Old Trafford, Allardyce said: âI went to watch a couple of players from Seville.â
Provided by Press Association Sport