LOUIS SAHA faces a race against time to be fit for Everton’s showdown with former club Manchester United on Saturday.

Saha limped out of France’s shock 1-0 Euro 2012 qualifying defeat at home to Belarus on Friday after suffering a right calf strain.

The 31-year-old, who was making his first international appearance in four years, had only emerged as a 69th-minute substitute before being forced off just 10 minutes later.

Scans later revealed the damage was sufficient enough to rule Saha out of France’s qualifer in Bosnia tomorrow, and the player was released from the national team’s Clairefontaine training base at the weekend.

Saha will now undergo intensive treatment at Finch Farm with Everton manager David Moyes sweating on the fitness of the forward ahead of Premier League battle being resumed with the visit of United on Saturday morning.

Should Saha not recover in time, and with Yakubu still short of match fitness, Jermaine Beckford – whose goal knocked United out of the FA Cup last season – could lead the line against the Old Trafford side.

Everton are still seeking their first Premier League win of the season after a stuttering start of a single point from their opening three games.

But centre-back Sylvain Distin is confident Moyes’s men can soon find their stride and has reassured supporters there is no sense of panic among the squad.

“It’s a mixed feeling for us,” said the Frenchman. “It’s frustrating because the results are not really what we expect. Altogether though, I think we’ve played quite well.