PHIL JAGIELKA revealed that Everton were ready for the booking of Marouane Fellaini – but they are also ready to go into Merseyside derby battle without him.

The Belgian’s 10th booking of the season means he misses both the league game with Liverpool at Anfield next Monday and the FA Cup fourth-round tie at the same venue on the following Sunday.

Referee Martin Atkinson explained to the Everton players during their 2-0 win over Hull City on Saturday that Fellaini was booked for persistent fouling.

But it was the high foot on Sam Ricketts two minutes into the second half that was deemed to be dangerous play and sealed the midfielder’s fate.

“Being realistic, the way Felli plays, he is hardly likely to go four or five games without a booking, so there was always a risk,” said Jagielka, who marshalled the defence to a sixth successive clean sheet.

“He does seem to be a target for referees, and his size probably doesn’t help.

“He’s so big that when he lifts his boot, like he did for the booking today, it’s only waist-high to him but it’s chin-high to his opponent.

“His hairstyle makes him even bigger, and any time an arm or leg goes out to try and win the ball, there is always the danger he is going to catch someone.

“He is not going to shrink, and I can’t see him getting his hair cut, so we are going to have to live with it.