“It is a concern because he’s not quite up to speed for us yet and it might take until next season, but we’ve got a player who’s really influential to the team and we are trying to get him back to that player as quickly as we possibly can,” said the Goodison manager.

“He’s ahead of schedule but we shouldn’t expect too much too soon.

“I don’t want to put any pressure on him.

“I want him to play in the team and enjoy his football at the moment the best he can, and not have any strain or expectation on him.

“We’ve got to be careful.

“This is a boy who hasn’t played for a year, I put him straight in without a reserve game.

“It might click into place quite quickly for him and hopefully it does, but more than anything it’s just having the confidence back in your injury and that self-belief that your knee’s fine.”

Meanwhile, Landon Donovan is enjoying life at Goodison so much that he can see himself back there after his 10-week loan spell expires – although it may not be an immediate return.

“I’m enjoying it and enjoying every day that I’m here,” said the United States international. “Every day that goes by makes me think that I want to stay here, but we’ll see what happens.

“I would definitely imagine that I will be back here at some point in my life.

“I think it’s been an incredible experience and away from football, the people have been extremely nice.

“That being said, I do miss LA, I miss my team-mates there, I miss the sunshine.

“That’d be nice to get back there too.”

Donovan may have the opportunity of extending his Goodison stay given a pay dispute between the MLS Players’ Union and MLS management that has raised the spectre of a potential strike in the United States.

The Union claim the current contract regime violates FIFA player regulations, with a decision expected tomorrow.