James McCarthy is still touch and go ahead of Republic of Ireland's European Championship qualifier with Scotland.
His international boss Martin O'Neill confirmed the midfielder was due to have a scan on the hamstring complaint picked up at the end of Everton's 1-1 draw with Sunderland on Wednesday. The result of that scan could determine whether McCarthy plays against the country of his birth.
O'Neill said: "James is obviously feeling better each day. He didn’t do any work today – he went for another scan this afternoon, which is kind of an update – but he is feeling better, so we will see what tomorrow might bring. "Remember, it’s only a few days since the injury and there’s a possibility of trying to join in now in the next couple of days. But that’s all it was, it was just a walk with the doctor. “If he is fit to play and wants to play, that’s fine; if he’s not, then fine. He is improving.”