Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez is back in light training following a hamstring injury but is rated as extremely doubtful for Saturday.
Nigel de Jong is expected to overcome a hip problem, while Micah Richards could be on the bench as he continues to make progress after a hamstring strain.
Everton
Doubtful: Baxter & Heitinga (both hamstring)
Injured: Barkley (broken leg), Fellaini & Saha (both ankle)
Man City
Doubtful: De Jong (hip), Richards & Tevez (both hamstring)
Injured/unavailable: Boateng & M Johnson (both knee), Given (shoulder), K Toure (club suspension)
MATCH PREVIEW
With the Holy Grail in sight, Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini will be praying for a change of fortune against Everton on Saturday.
I never win against them [Everton]. I also lost 2-1 against Everton when I played for Leicester in 2001. But we need to focus on this game because it will be a really important one
Man City boss Roberto Mancini
Having been set the twin targets of finishing in the top four and ending the club's 35-year trophy drought by owner Sheikh Mansour, City are tantalisingly close to achieving both objectives.
An FA Cup final meeting with Stoke has already been booked for 14 May, while a Champions League spot could be achieved this weekend if Tottenham lose at home to Blackpool and City leave Merseyside with all three points.
But first the Manchester club must overcome an Everton side that have become something of a bogey side for Mancini, whose three head-to-head duels with David Moyes' men have not garnered a single point so far.
Everton head into the match with their faint hopes of European football all but extinguished by last weekend's draw at Wigan. Moyes has long bemoaned his side's lack of firepower this season, but would surely take a repeat of December's reverse fixture, when two shots on target were enough to down City in a 2-1 victory.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• Everton have won six of their last seven encounters with Manchester City.
• Tim Cahill has opened the scoring in three of the last four games he has started against City.
• Everton scored two goals from just two shots on target when they beat Manchester City 2-1 in December.
Everton
• The Toffees have opened the scoring in 16 league matches this season, losing only one (at Arsenal in February).
• Only Manchester United (27) have taken more points from North West derbies than Manchester City (23) and Everton (18) this season.
• According to Opta Stats, Everton have made more successful crosses from open play than any other side (173).
• Since August 2008, only Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas and Chelsea's Didier Drogba have provided more assists than Leighton Baines (25), according to Opta Stats.
• Everton have shipped just seven goals in their last nine games.
Man City
• Roberto Mancini's side are looking to win a third consecutive league match for the first time this year.
• City's last eight Premier League goals have been scored by eight different players.
• They have benefited from eight deflected goals this campaign, the most in the league.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Everton
Saha: 10 goals (7 league); Cahill: 9 goals (9 league), Beckford: 9 goals (7 league)
Man City
Tevez: 22 goals (19 league); Balotelli: 10 goals (6 league)
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Phil Dowd
Assistant referees: Andy Halliday & Andy Garratt
Fourth official: Michael Oliver
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
Everton (D1-1 v Wigan, a): Howard, Hibbert, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Osman, Neville, Rodwell, Arteta (Beckford 66), Cahill (Coleman 66), Anichebe (Gueye 82). Subs not used: Mucha, Bilyaletdinov, Vellios, Duffy.
Man City (W2-1 v West Ham, h): Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Lescott, Kolarov, De Jong (Milner 46), Barry (Dzeko 74), Adam Johnson, Toure Yaya, Silva, Balotelli (Vieira 86). Subs not used: Taylor, Wright-Phillips, Jo, Boyata.
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport