Moyes reveals Fellaini concern

Everton manager David Moyes admits the health of midfielder Marouane Fellaini is giving him some cause for concern with the new season only 12 days away.

The Belgium international has been suffering with a virus during the close season which has resulted in significant weight loss. Fellaini has made fleeting appearances in Everton's pre-season games, although he did manage 90 minutes in Sunday's 2-2 draw at Coventry.

"Fellaini has had an illness for most of the summer which has affected him," said Moyes. "He picked up a viral infection in the summer. It got into his blood, he lost a lot of weight and he wasn't a boy that could afford to lose any weight."

He added: "It's noticeable looking at him how thin he has become. It has definitely had an effect on his overall performance.

"It is going to take a little while I feel for him to get his full strength back. I don't think he is there yet.

"He has not been right all through pre-season and he is still not right.

"When you are the shape and build he is, when you lose weight it's not all that easy to put it back on.

"Since he has come back we've been trying to get him built up, but the weight is not going back on at the moment."