Idrissa Gana Gueye returns from AFCON to bolster Everton numbers

Dyche had one fit central midfielder - James Garner - for the midweek goalless draw at Fulham game and with Andre Gomes (calf), Abdoulaye Doucoure (hamstring), Amadou Onana (knee) and Dele Alli (knee) all still sidelined, Senegal's tournament exit has at least bolstered the squad in one department distinctly lacking in options.

"He is recovering today and then he will be in tomorrow morning," Dyche said of Gueye.

"He is certainly in contention. We've had to give him a down day because of the travelling so we'll see how he is feeling tomorrow."

Winger Arnaut Danjuma is the latest player to be added to the list likely to miss Saturday's visit of Tottenham with an ankle injury sustained in the draw at Fulham in midweek.

With Seamus Coleman only just returning to running outside after a hamstring problem kept him out for three matches, it means Dyche remains without five senior players.

"We've actually improved the stats on fitness, so the players have been fitter for longer and available more," added the Everton boss.

"This season we have had chunks of players getting injured and obviously that tests you more when you have a skinny group; we haven't got that many players.

"That has been the awkwardness of it; if you have an injury every week or so you can cover that but these injuries all at once - on top of the game schedule which has been pretty heavy - then that's difficult."

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