Baines getting closer | Everton vs Crystal Palace: Injury Update

Ramiro Funes Mori played 45 minutes earlier this week for the Everton Under-23s, but could be in the reckoning for Saturday’s squad after being left out of the team for the Premier League Cup yesterday.

Meanwhile, Sam Allardyce revealed during his pre-match conference ahead of the Crystal Palace game that he expected Leighton Baines back for the Watford game in two weeks time.

Goalie Maarten Stekelenburg is recovering from groin surgery and close to resuming training. Which leaves James McCarthy as the only other player on the injury list, the first time the Blues have been in such a position in over a few months.

For Roy Hodgson, he faces having nine senior side players out, with forward Wilfried Zaha, Julian Speroni and Martin Kelly the latest to join the list of injured players.

Bakary Sako, Jeffrey Schlupp, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Scott Dann, Jason Puncheon and Connor Wickham are all also out. January transfer window additions Alexander Sorloth and Erdal Rakip will be in the squad.