Europa League
Venue: Estadio Jose Alvalade Date: Thursday 25 February Kick-off: 2005 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live and Channel Five
TEAM NEWS
**Defender Phil Jagielka has been named in the Everton squad for the return leg of the Europa League round of 32 tie against Sporting Lisbon.**The 27-year-old has not played since injuring cruciate ligaments in his knee against Manchester City last April.
Defender Philippe Senderos also travels having recovered from a back injury.
Tim Cahill (calf), Marouane Fellaini (ankle), John Heitinga (cup-tied), Sylvain Distin (suspended) and Tony Hibbert (hernia) are all unavailable.
Jagielka was due to play in Everton’s reserve fixture against Bolton on Tuesday but the match was postponed because of a frozen pitch.
His return is a timely boost for the Toffees as they step up their efforts to secure European silverware and target a late-season push to snatch a top-four finish in the Premier League.
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The versatile defender’s comeback is also good news for England boss Fabio Capello as he prepares for the World Cup this summer.
The Italian has defensive concerns ahead of the tournament in South Africa after it was revealed that Chelsea full-back Ashley Cole would be out for three months following surgery on the ankle he broke against Everton in earlier this month.
The game against Sporting represents the second time Everton have travelled to Lisbon during this inaugural Europe League competition.
Last October an injury-ravaged Toffees team were on the receiving end of a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Benfica in the group stages.
With a stronger squad to choose from this time and holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, manager David Moyes will be hoping his side can continue their recent run of good form, which has seen them beat both Chelsea and Manchester United.
The aggregate winners of the tie will face either Spanish side Atletico Madrid or Turkish outfit Galatasaray, who drew 1-1 in Madrid in the first leg last week.
Everton squad: Howard, Nash, Turner, Baines, Yobo, Neville, Coleman, Senderos, Jagielka, Duffy, Arteta, Osman, Pienaar, Bilyaletdinov, Gosling, Rodwell, Baxter, Donovan, Yakubu, Anichebe, Vaughan, Saha.*