Everton could be down to their last two available centre-halves when they make the short trip to Burnley this Saturday as Michael Keane could miss out through injury.
The defender sat out Sunday’s rousing win over Chelsea entirely because of an ankle issue and watched the game from the Directors Box – he is a doubt for this coming weekend.
With Jarrad Branthwaite serving a one-game ban for passing the five yellow card mark for the season, Keane’s potential absence exposes Sean Dyche to the risk of having just two fit natural centre-halves to call on for what will be his first match back at Turf Moor since he was sacked as Burnley’s manager in the spring of 2022.
Ben Godfrey, the only remaining central defender available to partner James Tarkowski, has made just one appearance so far this season, that coming in the Carabao Cup second round against Doncaster in late August.
The only other centre-halves with first-team experience, Mason Holgate and Reece Welch, are currently out on loan but it’s possible either could be recalled in an emergency.
Dyche also has fitness concerns over veteran full-backs Seamus Coleman and Ashley Young who were forced to come off against Newcastle and Chelsea respectively in the past week.