Toffees playmaker Mikel Arteta is eying a swift return to fitness, following a minor blip in his recovery from surgery.

The Everton favourite is on course to return to action this month after being sidelined in February with a cruciate ligament injury.

His recovery has been just short of smooth however, with the midfielder having to go under the knife to repair stitches only a month ago.

Head physio Mick Rathbone told the Liverpool Daily Post that the stitches coming out had been a "big psychological blow".

He explained: "He was putting so many hours in every single day but there was just some bad luck. Sometimes though that is nature's way of telling you to slow down a bit.

"Mikel looks good now and everything is going well so let's just call what happened a minor blip."

Veteran midfielder Phil Neville and centre half Phil Jagielka are also expected to make a return to the first team before Christmas, which will no doubt provide David Moyes' squad with a boost.