Everton have received a triple injury boost ahead of Sunday's Premier League showdown with relegation rivals Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park.
The Toffees suffered their second-heaviest ever Premier League defeat and the biggest of Sean Dyche's managerial career when they were put to the sword 6-0 by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Monday.
Striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin and midfielder Idrissa Gueye were two notable absentees from the Everton squad with respective hamstring and calf injuries.
Meanwhile, defensive trio Seamus Coleman, Jarrad Branthwaite and Nathan Patterson were all forced off with injuries, the former withdrawn at half time while the latter two were taken off in the second half.
Dyche has since delivered a mixed injury update on his first-team squad, confirming that three players are in contention to return and a fourth will be assessed, while one of the aforementioned quintet is facing a lengthy spells on the sidelines.
Branthwaite, Calvert-Lewin, Gueye take part in Everton training
Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Dyche said: "[Branthwaite and Calvert-Lewin] trained, we were light today but both trained light and came through it, so we hope there is no reaction to that.
"[Patterson] will be out for the season - he will need surgery. Very unfortunate injury. We're disappointed on that one for him as much as us.
"Seamus, we're waiting on but hopefully it will calm down quickly - but touch-and-go, at best, for this weekend.
"[Gueye] should be okay. His calf settled and he trained today - similar, low-level training today but he trained and he was okay."
Dyche has also confirmed that Lewis Dobbin is "getting closer" to returning to full fitness after sustaining an ankle injury last month, while Arnaut Danjuma is in contention to feature against Forest after playing the full 90 minutes in an Under-21s game last Friday as well as taking part in full training this week.
Everton receive timely injury boost ahead of crucial Forest contest
The prospect of as many as five players shaking off injury complaints to make the matchday squad on Sunday comes as a huge boost for Dyche's side heading into a potentially pivotal Premier League contest with Forest.
Everton have won just one of their last 15 top-flight matches, collecting just nine points during this period, and remain at risk of suffering their first-ever relegation from the Premier League.
The Toffees, who were recently hit with a further two-point deduction for breaching the Premier League's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR), currently sit 16th in the table, just one point and one place above Forest, who themselves were handed a four-point deduction for similar PSR breaches.
Victory for Everton on Sunday would see them move five points clear of the relegation zone if 18th-placed Luton Town - who have played a game more - lose against Brentford on Saturday. body check tags ::
