Jags playing through pain

Phil Jagielka: Playing through pain barrier after breaking his toe last month

Everton defender Phil Jagielka admits it will be 'a few weeks' before he can play without receiving painkilling injections to his broken toe.

The Toffees centre-back picked up the injury during last month's victory at Fulham but has still managed to maintain his ever-present Premier League record this season.

England international Jagielka, who led Everton out against Wolves on Saturday in the absence of the injured Phil Neville, is prepared to continue playing through the pain barrier.

"There is not much we can do (about the toe)," he told the Liverpool Echo.

"It will be a few weeks before we get to the stage where I don't need injections, but I don't feel anything while I am playing - it is the car journeys home when it starts to get a bit sore."

Testing

Everton have lost five of their last seven league games in a run which has seen them take on both Manchester clubs, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Jagielka knows more testing encounters lie ahead, with clashes against Bolton and Stoke next on the agenda.

"We never had a run of fixtures as bad as we have done lately with teams who have spent hundreds of millions," he said.

"It was always going to be hard but we have got fixtures coming up - more hard games - and we need to get a run going.

"Bolton will be a hard game. They are picking up a little bit of form having been in a predicament like ourselves. So it will be tough but hopefully we can emerge victorious."