Matthew Pennington is in line to make his first Everton of the season in this afternoon’s Merseyside derby.
Ronald Koeman has resisted the temptation to call on the Blues defender but is preparing to use him as part of a three-man back line against Liverpool.
The Everton manager’s change in approach comes after he lost both Seamus Coleman and Ramiro Funes Mori to season-ending injuries in the past week.
Coleman faces up to six months on the sidelines with a double leg break suffered during the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifier with Wales last Friday.
Funes Mori, meanwhile, will be sidelined for the remainder of the campaign with a torn meniscus sustained in the midst of Argentina’s 2-0 defeat to Bolivia.
Pennington made successive starts for Everton towards the end of last season in Roberto Martinez’s final two games as manager, in defeats to Leicester and Sunderland.
He retained a place following the Catalan’s sacking as Joe Royle and David Unsworth took temporary charge for a 3-0 win over Norwich City on the final day of last season.
Koeman is preparing to call on Mason Holgate to take Coleman’s place while Dominic Calvert-Lewin is likely to partner Romelu Lukaku in attack at Anfield.