Everton may be without nine players against Burnley - as under-23s game provides squad hint
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Everton travel to Burnley this evening for a seismic encounter in the Premier League relegation battle.
The outcome of the Turf Moor clash is set to have significant consequences on who suffers the drop to the Championship this season.
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Hide AdThe Toffees are very much in the mire at the foot of the table, although fate rests in their own hands.
Frank Lampard’s side currently sit in 17th and three points above the relegation zone with nine games remaining.
A victory tonight will see Everton move seven points clear of 19th-placed Burnley.
But Sean Dyche’s side have plenty of experience when it comes to a dogfight and a win will pile the pressure on the Blues.
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Hide AdEverton are set to welcome back Fabian Delph to the squad after a near four-month absence.
Meanwhile, captain Seamus Coleman will also feature in some capacity after missing last Sunday’s 2-1 loss at West Ham United because of illness.
But the Toffees may still be without up to nine players against Burnley.
Lampard has confirmed that <strong>Nathan Patterson</strong> is sidelined for the long-term.
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Hide AdThe Scotland international rolled his ankle on the eve of the West Ham game and now requires an operation.
Patterson, who has made just one appearance since arriving from Rangers in January, is set to be sidelined for a minimum of eight weeks.
With that time frame in mind, it takes Patterson’s absence beyond the Blues' final fixture of the season against Arsenal on 22 May.
Donny van de Beek will miss the next two games after pulling up in the warm-up against West Ham.
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Hide AdThe Dutchman has a thigh injury, while he's not been given permission to play against parent-club Manchester United at Goodison Park on Saturday.
Yerry Mina (quad) is still not ready to feature. He’s not played since the 3-1 loss at Newcastle United on 8 February.
Meanwhile, Andros Townsend (knee) and Tom Davies (hamstring) won't play again this season.
Then there are two players whose availability is not clear.
Andre Gomes missed out against the Hammers through injury. Lampard did not provide an update on the Portuguese during pre-match press duties.
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Hide AdThe ongoing absence of Cenk Tosun also remains somewhat of a mystery.
The striker, who is out of contract in the summer, has not been in a match-day squad since the 3-0 defeat of Leeds United on 12 February.
Lampard handed Tosun a brief cameo during the 4-1 FA Cup fourth-round win over Brentford, which was his first game as manager.
Meanwhile, Michael Keane has to serve a one-match suspension for his sending off at the weekend.
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Hide AdAllan is also banned for the final game of a three-match suspension after being dismissed in a 1-0 home victory over Newcastle last month.
If Lampard is without the nine aforementioned players, he may have to call on some youth to make up his squad.
Lewis Dobbin and Isaac Price were both on the bench at West Ham.
Neither featured for the under-23s in a 2-0 loss to Blackburn Rovers on Monday evening.