In the aftermath of a late Adam Le Fondre tackle yesterday, it was revealed by Everton boss David Moyes that Phil Jagielka required surgery on his ankle.
In what could be called fortunate for the stand-in Blues skipper, the injury was just a gash and any breaks or ligament damage were not found. Therefore the England international should only be expected to be absent for 2/3 weeks.
This leaves Everton with a defensive partnership of John Heitinga and Sylvain Distin. Last season the partnership excelled, however this season it has yet to be tested.