Lucas Digne has started his rehabilitation from ankle surgery in France but is expected back at Everton next week.
The Blues' left-back went under the knife after sustaining ligament damage in training at the end of last month.
Digne had surgery at the beginning of last week with Carlo Ancelotti believing the 27-year-old could recover sooner than initially thought.
Ancelotti initially put a two-three month time-frame on his recovery but is hoping for a speedier return to action following his surgery.
Digne has spent the week working with fitness coach Thomas Ameur in Lille at the Gym club du Sart but is expected to return to Finch Farm next week at the latest to begin his rehab in full under the watch of Danny Donachie and his team.
Ancelotti is facing a "little bit of an emergency" after Digne's absence was added to by Fabian Delph sustaining a hamstring injury in the draw with Burnley on Saturday.
Ben Godfrey performed well in an unfamiliar left-back role while Ancelotti has used Alex Iwobi as left-wing back recently.
Niels Nkounkou is the only recognised left-back in the first-team squad but he was not included in the 18 to face Burnley.
