Jordan Pickford and James Tarkowski are both at risk of suspension after receiving yellow cards in Everton’s defeat to Nottingham Forest. The pair are the two regular starters who have now accumulated four bookings, taking them within one more of a one-match ban.

Michael Keane, who was a constant presence at the start of the season, has also picked up four so far in the 2024-25 campaign.

It means that if any of those players were to be booked at Bournemouth on Saturday then they would miss the visit of Aston Villa to Goodison Park in mid-January. Everton host Peterborough United in the FA Cup third round before then but Premier League yellow cards are not carried into the cup competitions.

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However, if they avoid a yellow at the weekend then the imminent threat of missing a game will disappear.

That is because the ban is effective for players who are booked five times in the first 19 matches. Because of the postponed Merseyside derby, the Blues head to the south coast having played 18 times in the Premier League, meaning the three players remain at risk for one more match.

Should they avoid a yellow card at Bournemouth then they will only come under threat of a ban if they pick up 10 yellows in their first 32 games. That would incur a two-match suspension.