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London - Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar will miss the start of the new Premier League season after the South African suffered a hamstring injury.
Pienaar managed just 11 appearances last term, missing the whole of the season half of the campaign due to injury, and he is already struggling with more fitness problems.
The 33-year-old former Ajax and Borussia Dortmund winger, currently in his second spell at Goodison Park, suffered his latest injury in training and boss Roberto Martinez doesn't expect him to make the August 8 league opener against Watford.
"Obviously it was a really sad moment for all of us when Stevie picked up that injury in training," Martinez told the club's website on Monday.
"He's gone back now to be fully assessed by our medical team at Finch Farm and we'll get the results very soon.
"But it does seem it's a problem with his hamstring and clearly he's going to miss the start of the season, which is a real shame because Stevie worked with fantastic results and fantastic signs over the first three weeks of pre-season.
"We were very down about that situation and we hope to get Stevie back as soon as we can."
