David Moyes met with the media earlier today to preview Sunday's away match against Aston Villa, and there weren't too many surprises in terms of the available squad for the trip.
Jack Grealish, having served his one-game suspension for his second yellow red card in the FA Cup match against Sunderland, will return to the lineup without any doubt. The team looked lost creatively up front with Dwight McNeil stepping into his place, and Tyler Dibling is both trying too hard to impress his boss and can more easily be neutralized with McNeil as his opposite winger.
The rest of the missing players will still be out, however, leaving Moyes with continued difficult decisions about how to set up his side.
Michael Keane will serve match 2 of his three-game suspension for the "violent conduct" he inflicted upon Sunderland striker Eliezer Mayenda, who has somehow survived the ordeal. The centerback will be eligible to return for the trip to Brighton on January 31.
Meanwhile, Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gana Gueye will feature for Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations in the final against Morocco, which will take place roughly half an hour after Everton's match against Villa on Sunday.
As for the injured group of players, defenders Jarrad Branthwaite and Seamus Coleman are back in light training, according to Moyes and the club's social media team earlier in the week. But neither will be ready for Sunday's match, with the beginning of February looking more likely.
The rest of that crew -- midfielders Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Charly Alcaraz, and Tim Iroegbunam -- are not back in training yet, with no timeline for when they might return to the mix for an Everton side in dire need of reinforcements simply via players coming back from extended absences.
All of this adds up to another selection headache for Moyes, although having Grealish back will make the bench a little deeper, after the Sunderland match included just two senior outfield players, both of whom came in late in that match.
How Moyes will attack the team currently sitting in 3rd in the Premier League table remains to be seen, especially on the road. The Toffees have a chance to climb a few spots with an unexpected victory, but the likeliest outcome feels like Moyes will play not to lose given the squad and the circumstances.