Scotland full-back Nathan Patterson looks set for another spell on the sidelines after picking up a knee injury.
Patterson was forced off just after the hour mark in Everton’s 4-1 defeat to Brighton on Tuesday.
Embattled Toffees manager Frank Lampard admitted that the early indications are that he has damaged medial ligaments.
The 21-year-old will undergo scans to discover the extent of the problem but Lampard fears the former Rangers defender could be absent for ‘weeks’.
Lampard said: “It's a knee injury and it could be weeks. Medial ligaments.
“We'll have to get it scanned but it looks like a medial (issue), which is not ideal."
Scotland manager Steve Clarke will also be hoping for positive news over Patterson ahead of the start of UEFA 2024 qualifying in March against Cyprus and Spain.
Patterson has been hampered by injury since moving to Goodison Park from Rangers a year ago.
The wing-back underwent ankle surgery at the end of last season before sustaining another ankle injury on Scotland duty in last September’s UEFA Nations League win over Ukraine.
That set-back that kept Patterson sidelined for five weeks.
