Fellaini harbours cup hopes

Everton are hopeful that midfielder Marouane Fellaini will be fit to face Aston Villa in the FA Cup fifth round on Sunday. The Belgium international has been working hard with Toffees physio Mick Rathbone after picking up a back injury in the fourth round replay with Liverpool last week.The 21-year-old, who cost a club record £15million from Standard Liege in the summer, missed the weekend's 3-0 win over Bolton in the hope that the time off would enable him to make the Villa clash.Striker Louis Saha is also close to a return to full training after being sidelined with a hamstring injury since November although midfielder Steven Pienaar has been ruled out for two weeks after he picked up a hamstring injury."Fellaini has a bruised back but we are pushing him to be fit for the weekend," Rathbone told the club's official website."We anticipate that Pienaar will be out for a couple of weeks. Saha is doing well and is close to returning to full training and is looking to join this week."The lads seemed to come through Saturday's game OK and now several of them have gone on to join their international teams."

Source: SKY_Sports