Everton manager David Moyes has hit out at the decision to pay international friendlies at this stage of the Premier League season.
The Scot is trying to handle a threadbare squad after being hit with a plethora of injuries - a lot coming from players returning from international duty.
The Toffees are already without Marouane Fellaini and have now lost Louis Saha for the rest of the season. Mikel Arteta is also sidelined whilst Tim Cahill, Jack Rodwell and Seamus Coleman are all in doubt for tomorrow's encounter with Aston Villa after withdrawing from their respective national squads.
Moyes feels that this stage of the season is not an ideal time for midweek friendlies and has questioned the logic behind it.
"To have a friendly at this stage of the season is difficult," he said. "I understand why the national teams want them, but we are into the last six or seven weeks of the season and you can see the amount of injuries players are having - probably on the back of the World Cup and other international tournaments.
"I think that is why you are probably seeing so many injuries if you look around the Premier League.
"People are probably not getting to see the best players right now because the football is taking its toll on them. They are all involved in so much football and they need a break."
