 Valente was injured in the FA Cup defeat against Blackburn |
Everton hope Portuguese defender Nuno Valente will only miss two games after being ruled out with a knee injury until the end of the month. He was carried off in the FA Cup third round defeat against Blackburn Rovers at Goodison Park on Sunday.
Valente had a scan and the injury is not as serious as was first feared.
And with Everton out of the FA Cup and a Premiership game against Spurs now postponed, he may only miss matches against Reading and Wigan.
Everton physio Mick Rathbone said: "The scan showed that, although he sprained the knee quite badly, all the major structures of the knee seem okay."
Valente could now be available for the Mersey derby against Liverpool on 3 February or the home league game with Blackburn a week later.
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