Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge is out of the Boxing Day clash with Everton as he faces up to four months on the sidelines.

The Norway international has undergone surgery to repair a tendon damaged during the 3-2 Premier League defeat by Manchester United on December 17 and is expected to be missing for between three and four months.

Striker Oli McBurnie has an outside chance of returning from a shoulder injury and fellow frontman Lys Mousset could be involved after an ankle problem, but only as a substitute at best, while midfielder John Lundstram begins a three-match ban.

Everton are set to be without Richarlison and James Rodriguez.

The Brazil international is likely to be sidelined under concussion protocols after sustaining a heavy blow to his head in the Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester United.

Rodriguez will miss a fifth successive match with a calf problem but goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is set to return after being rested in midweek.

Provisional Sheffield United squad: Ramsdale, Verrips, Baldock, Stevens, Basham, Egan, Lowe, Jagielka, Robinson, Bogle, Ampadu, Fleck, Norwood, Osborn, McBurnie, Sharp, Mousset, Burke, McGoldrick, Brewster.

Provisional Everton squad: Pickford, Holgate, Keane, Mina, Godfrey, Davies, Doucoure, Sigurdsson, Iwobi, Bernard, Gordon, Olsen, Lossl, Kenny, Coleman, Branthwaite, Nkounkou, Tosun.