Tottenham v Everton:Martin Jol will have to field another makeshift central defensive partnership against Everton tonight as Michael Dawson has been ruled out for at least two weeks with ankle ligament damage. The Tottenham manager is ready to go back into the transfer market for reinforcements in the position and is expected to make an offer for West Brom's Curtis Davies.

Dawson turned his ankle in training last Friday, the final session before the squad flew to Sunderland for the Premier League opener on Saturday lunchtime.

Although Dawson travelled in the hope of playing, the swelling meant he was left a frustrated onlooker.

Scans have now revealed that the injury is worse than was first thought and the length of his recovery will depend on how he responds to treatment over the next 48 hours. If his progress is poor, then he may be out for more than a month.

Ledley King is a long-term casualty after knee surgery and for the Sunderland game Jol was forced to make an emergency call back to London for Anthony Gardner, who had not been named in the original squad.

He took his place in the team, alongside Younes Kaboul, the summer signing from Auxerre.

Jol went to Sunderland without all three of his recognised left backs, Gareth Bale, Lee Young-pyo and Benoit Assou-Ekotto, and asked Paul Stalteri, a right back, to deputise. Although the defence kept Sunderland largely at arm's length, they were undone in injury-time by Michael Chopra's winner.

The visit of Everton has assumed great importance and Jol is considering whether to recall Ricardo Rocha, the Portuguese centre half, to partner Kaboul, who impressed on his debut.

The club are willing to entertain offers for Rocha and Gardner as they monitor Davies's situation at West Brom. Davies has submitted a transfer request and relinquished the club captaincy but West Brom are sticking to their €12 million valuation. Aston Villa have offered €9 million with a further €1.5 million based on appearances, but that has not been accepted.