David Moyes has admitted that Dwight McNeil may need an operation to correct the problem in his knee that has kept him sidelined since mid-December.

The midfielder initially injured his knee in the 1-1 draw with Fulham in late October and though he played the full 90 minutes against Southampton the following week, he was forced to sit out the trip to West Ham that followed before returning to face Brentford, Manchester United and Wolves.

He was absent from the side that drew with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium 10 days later and has been undergoing treatment ever since on an issue that is apparently related to his cartilege rather than a tendon.

While he was making gradual progress over the past fortnight and was thought to be close to rejoining the first-team for full training, it now appears as though he has suffered another set-back and the Club's medicla staff will consult a specialist to see if surgery is now the best course of action.

"It looks like Dwight’s probably going to have to have surgery on his knee," said manager David Moyes during his press conference ahead of tomorrow's trip to Brighton. Today’s he’s tried [to train].

“It looks like we’re probably going to have to get him back to the specialist and see... I’m saying surgery, it might be they decide something else but he’s going to go back and see the specialist again.

"It’s a real blow because we need him back for things like deliveries and set pieces but we need him back for his general play [as well].

“By all accounts, everyone has told me he’s performed very well for Everton recently. So, not to have him right now is a big blow.”

Despite having missed the past six weeks, McNeil remains the Toffees' top provider of assists and is second only to Iliman Ndiaye for goals scored in the Premier League with three. 

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