Everton midfielder Darron Gibson is likely to miss the last few weeks of the season after breaking his foot in training, manager Roberto Martinez has said.
Martinez said Republic of Ireland international Gibson does not need an operation on the injury he suffered in training last Friday.
However, the Everton boss thinks Gibson will be unavailable for his side's final seven Premier League matches.
"He doesn't require an operation, but we fear he will be out for the season," Martinez told the Liverpool Echo. "But it is early to tell, because the specialist was very pleased with the X-ray, in terms of where the fracture is, and feels he can heal quickly.
"That is the best news we could have had in the circumstances, but it is still a long-term injury."
Gibson has suffered a number of injury setbacks since joining Everton from Manchester United in January 2012.
A thigh injury suffered in September that year kept him out for almost three months, before a similar problem that December -- shortly after his comeback -- sidelined him for a further five weeks.
He then suffered cruciate knee ligament damage while on international duty in October 2013, an injury that put him out of action for almost 11 months.
And a separate knee problem, picked up as Republic of Ireland lost to Scotland in a Euro 2016 qualifier last November, kept him out until mid-February.
