Everton have revealed that left-back Leighton Baines will miss a minimum of three months through injury.
The 30-year-old underwent surgery to rectify the ankle problem that kept him out of Saturday's 2-2 draw with Watford.
The England international, who had the same operation in May, will now be sidelined until October at the earliest while he recuperates from his latest setback.
Baines picked up a recurrence of the same injury in training last Friday, with manager Roberto Martinez later labelling the setback as a "real disaster".