This isn’t the way international breaks are supposed to work!

Diafra Sakho tweets that he’s out of tonight’s international – just three days before a crucial clash at Everton and Winston Reid is likely to be missing  until November 22 according to www.physioroom.com.

We understand too that there are other injuries in the squad which were picked up in the games at Stoke and against Aston Villa and from which the unnamed players may or may not recover.

No names have been given to ClaretandHugh but it is very clear from the way the news was passed to us that there are some real concerns that we could be looking at a very different side for Goodison.

Stewart Downing is an almost certain starter despite the bang he took with England but beyond that we are into  guesswork.

James Tomkins claims he is fit and Kouyate is available to cover in central defence should he be required – always assuming there are no injury problems sustained against Botswana.

Much has been made of the depth of our squad this season. It seems we are about to find out a little too early just how good it is.