Pienaar cup-tied against Black Cats

Everton playmaker Steven Pienaar is cup-tied for tomorrow’s FA Cup quarter-final against Sunderland at Goodison Park.

Central midfielder Darron Gibson is also unlikely to return to action from a knee injury.

Manager David Moyes is expected to rotate his squad after making six changes for the midweek defeat at Liverpool – which included first starts in two months for defender Phil Jagielka and midfielder Jack Rodwell – but today reported “a couple of niggling injuries” to unnamed players.

Provisional squad: Howard, Mucha, Neville, Hibbert, Distin, Jagielka, Heitinga, Duffy, Baines, Cahill, Drenthe, Rodwell, Fellaini, Coleman, Osman, Barkley, Gueye, Jelavic, Stracqualursi, Anichebe, Vellios.