Dominic Calvert-Lewin among EIGHT Everton players absent for FA Cup tie against Boreham Wood

Premier League survival is paramount for Everton this season.

Make no bones about it - it would be disastrous if the Toffees went down.

Fears of relegation are genuine among supporters. Everton teeter just one place and one point above the drop zone with 14 games remaining.

And their cause wasn't helped after a 1-0 loss to Manchester City on Saturday when Everton were denied a stonewall penalty for handball.

But the Blues can put their top-flight predicament on the back burner for the meantime. Their attention turns to the FA Cup.

Frank Lampard's side welcome Boreham Wood to Goodison Park on Thursday evening (20.15).

It's a fifth-round tie that, on paper, couldn't be much better for Everton. The non-league visitors are 78 places below in the pyramid.

The Toffees must avoid a banana skin and won't underestimate Luke Garrard's side, who knocked out Premier League hopefuls Bournemouth in the previous stage of the competition.

But should Lampard's troops get the job done, they'll be in the quarter-finals - and Wembley will be on the horizon.

Injury absentees

Everton will be without eight first-team players for the encounter, though.

The Blues have five on the treatment table and won't be involved.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is the latest player to suffer an injury. He was absent for the City loss with an adductor problem.

Lampard confirmed the striker would be absent for 7-10 days.

It’s another blow for Calvert-Lewin, who’s managed just eight appearances all season.

He joins Ben Godfrey, Tom Davies (both hamstring), Yerry Mina (groin), and Fabian Delph (thigh) on the sidelines.

Cup-tied trio

Donny van de Beek was forced off against Pep Guardiola's side due to an issue.

Lampard was hopeful that the on-loan Manchester United midfield only had cramp.

Even if van de Beek's setback is as Everton believe, he still cannot play against Boreham Wood.

That's because the Dutchman is cup-tied having played for Man Utd against Aston Villa in the third round.

Anwar El Ghazi also featured for Villa in that game, coming off the bench with 11 minutes remaining. It means he's too ineligible.

As is Dele Alli. The midfielder has managed only four appearances off the bench since joining on an initial free transfer from Tottenham in January.

He'd have likely featured against the Wood if available and got valuable match minutes under his belt.

But Alli represented Tottenham in their third-round defeat of Morecambe and is cup-tied.