Baines featured in every minute of Everton’s Premier League games last season, in which he contributed five goals and 11 assists, and only an 81st-minute substitution in the club’s Carling Cup victory over Huddersfield prevented him from completing the entire campaign. With Baines on the treatment table, manager David Moyes will be assessing his options should Everton not be able to call upon their first choice left-back.

Tony Hibbert plugged the gap in October 2009 when Baines was ruled out of the league game at Bolton Wanderers and the following Carling Cup tie with Tottenham Hotspur.

Seamus Coleman had deputised in the Europa League match at Benfica in the match before but he also is sidelined with an ankle injury.

Everton will still harbour hope they can partner Baines with new loan signing Royston Drenthe in a refreshed left hand side against Villa on Saturday.

Joseph Yobo, meanwhile, was last night expected to complete a season long loan switch to Fenerbahce.

The Turkish transfer window closed at 10pm last night and after a summer of tough negotiations with the Istanbul outfit, it appeared the Nigerian captain had secured a return after last season’s loan.

Everton had wanted to sell Yobo but Fenerbahce were said to have refused to meet the club’s asking price.