Everton are down to just two fit centre-backs for the visit of West Brom after Jarrad Branthwaite was ruled out for up to five weeks with an ankle injury.
With Mason Holgate already sidelined by a toe problem which could keep him out until the end of October, manager Carlo Ancelotti is left with just Michael Keane and Yerry Mina for the positions in central defence.
Matt Phillips and Conor Townsend could be in West Brom’s Premier League squad for the first time this season.
Both players missed the opening-day defeat to Leicester – Phillips with a back injury and Townsend due to an ankle problem – but they each featured against Harrogate in midweek in the Carabao Cup.
West Brom provisional squad: Johnstone, O’Shea, Ajayi, Hegazi, Gibbs, Sawyers, Livermore, Pereira, Diangana, Phillips, Robinson, Bond, Townsend, Bartley, Peltier, Kipre, Furlong, Grosicki, Harper, Field, Edwards, Austin, Robson-Kanu, Gallagher.
