Everton are without midfielder Marouane Fellaini for Sunday's Merseyside derby with Liverpool at Goodison Park.
The Belgium international suffered a hamstring injury playing for Belgium in midweek and faces up to six weeks on the sidelines.
Defender Phil Jagielka is also unlikely to feature in the crunch Barclays Premier League clash after straining a hamstring in training with England.
Playmaker Steven Pienaar is still out with a groin injury and striker Louis Saha (calf) is rated as unlikely to return by manager David Moyes.
Jack Rodwell (ankle) is a long-term absentee while youngster Ross Barkley, on the bench for the last four games, suffered a broken leg this week.
A few days ago Moyes was enjoying a drink in Belgium with Roy Hodgson, but their friendship will most definitely be put on hold this weekend.
Moyes and his Liverpool counterpart Hodgson bumped into each other as they watched the same Euro 2012 qualifier in Brussels this week and took the opportunity to catch up.
But there will be no room for cordiality at Goodison Park as their two teams clash in the 214th Merseyside derby.
Tensions have rarely been higher ahead of a meeting of the two great rivals with both teams struggling at the lower end of the Premier League.
Liverpool are in the bottom three while Everton, above them only on goal difference, needed seven games to register a win.
Hodgson, who took over at Anfield in the summer, has previously said his friendship with Moyes will be tested on derby days and his opposite number agrees.
"I wouldn't want to be his friend either," Moyes said. "He was my friend this week, we met going over to Belgium.
"We travelled together on the plane and travelled back together. We watched the game and had a drink together and I enjoyed his company.
"We have seen a lot of each other this week but there are no friends on derby day are there? Even family members in this city sometimes fall out with each other.
"It's just about being professional, but he is a very well respected coach.
"When I was learning and preparing myself for a chance to get into coaching and management, Roy was one of the coaches that we would often see on the circuit, putting sessions on. He was very good."
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has been passed fit.
The Spain striker sustained an adductor injury in the 2-1 defeat to Blackpool almost a fortnight ago but has been declared fit by manager Hodgson.
Defender Paul Konchesky has recovered from a hamstring strain while fellow left-back Fabio Aurelio has overcome an Achilles problem which has kept him out since late August.
Centre-half Daniel Agger is a doubt with a back injury sustained playing for Denmark this week and Holland forward Dirk Kuyt has been ruled out for at least three weeks after injuring his ankle on international duty.
Hodgson is looking forward to a fresh start now the club is under new ownership but admits the players still have some issues to overcome.
The protracted #300million takeover by New England Sports Ventures was completed on Friday after a number of legal wrangles were ironed out.
Hodgson said the long-running saga over the ownership could not be used by the players as an excuse for their poor performances this season.
But he felt confidence had been affected by a run of disappointing displays, culminating in the embarrassing 2-1 defeat at home to Blackpool a fortnight ago.
It is not the form a manager would want heading into a derby at Goodison Park and, although Everton's results have not been much better, Hodgson is worried what effect it has had on his squad.
"It is a fresh start for the club and hopefully that will mean a fresh start for everyone," he said.
"You have to forgive me if I am a little bit more cynical about the emphasis placed on a couple of bad results at the start of a season.
"I don't think we have played that well but I don't think we should start suggesting because there has been a problem with the ownership issue the team has not tried but now (there are new owners) they will start.
"The players will be pleased the ownership issue has been resolved. That is very positive.
"But they will be very nervous because they are going into the game with six points from seven games."
Source: DSG
