DAVID MOYES admits  Everton are down to the  bare bones as he prepares  to put a makeshift defence  out against one of the most  free-scoring sides in  Europe tonight.

Moyes’s side continue their  Europa League adventure at  Benfica’s imposing Estadio da  Luz this evening without 10  senior players through either  injury or ineligibility.

Joseph Yobo and Leon  Osman became the latest  absentees yesterday, with  fears rising the latter  could face up to four  weeks out with a  chipped bone in  his foot.

But the loss of  Yobo with a head  injury will be of  the more  immediate concern  given Moyes’s  limited options at  centre-back against a Benfica  side that has scored 36 times  in nine domestic games this  season.

The Nigerian also missed  the victory at BATE Borisov  earlier this month, where  Tony Hibbert deputised  impressively alongside  Sylvain Distin with Dan  Gosling slotting in at  right-back. 

Moyes, though, could  also play Jack Rodwell  in defence and is even  contemplating a senior  debut for one of  Everton’s youngsters,  with 17-year-old  Northern Ireland centre- back Shane Duffy the  most likely recipient.

“Joseph got a knock in  the head on Saturday and  doesn’t feel that well,  while Leon Osman has got  a bad foot,” said Moyes.  “It may be a slightly  chipped bone. There may be  an outside chance he can play  on Sunday with pain-killing  injections – that is an outside  chance.

“But if not then it is  probably looking like a two- to-four week job.

“I could put Tony Hibbert  at centre-back, and Jack  Rodwell can play there, but I  have one or two other options.  I’ll make a decision  tomorrow. There is a chance  one of the young players will  have the chance of a game  here.

“One of the big  disappointments is that we  don’t have Lucas Neill or  John Heitinga at this period  of the competition because  either of them could have  played in several holes for us  – so that is unfortunate.”