Everton await Cahill injury news

Everton hope midfielder Tim Cahill will be able to step up his recovery from a broken metatarsal next week.

The Australian international will undergo a scan on Tuesday to determine how the foot injury has healed.

Cahill missed the last three months of the 2006/07 season after suffering the injury against Sheffield United.

The 27-year-old returned to fitness during the summer but he aggravated the problem in a pre-season friendly against Werder Bremen.

Everton head physio Mick Rathbone told the club's website: "It is six weeks since he re-injured his foot. He has another X-ray on Tuesday."

Striker James Vaughan is also on the road to recovery after dislocating a shoulder.

"He is eight weeks post-injury and seven weeks post-op," added Rathbone. "He is running comfortably now.

"With injuries like that it is a while before you can hold people off or fall on the arm so he's a way off yet."

Meanwhile, Everton boss David Moyes is bracing himself for the absence of four key players in the New Year when the African Cup of Nations gets under way.

Joseph Yobo, Ayegbeni Yakubu, Victor Anichebe and Steven Pienaar are all likely to be involved in the January event and that could lead to them missing up to six Everton matches.