Fellaini blow for Everton

Belgian midfielder Marouane Fellaini is out of Everton’s home FA Cup fifth round tie with Aston Villa on Sunday.

The club’s record signing has been diagnosed with a small crack in a bone in his back, but he is not expected to be ruled out for any more than three weeks.

On-loan Manchester City striker Jo is cup tied, and Everton hope striker Louis Saha, out since November with a hamstring problem, will be able to return on the bench.

Steven Pienaar is suspended and the Toffees hope Tim Cahill and Tim Howard do not suffer any after-effects from midweek internationals in Japan and the USA, respectively. The pair only arrived back at the club today.

Provisional squad: Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Lescott, Yobo, Baines, Gosling, Arteta, Van der Meyde, Neville, Osman, Cahill, Rodwell, Saha, Nash, Castillo, Baxter, Jacobsen.