Smith has a chance of benefiting from either striker Mark Viduka's misfortune, with the luckless 32-year-old facing a lay off of up to six months because of a nagging Achilles problem, or Joey Barton's enforced absence.

Last summer Everton boss David Moyes tried hard to land Smith, then a Manchester United player, but the 27-year-old opted for Newcastle instead.

Smith – without a Premier League goal since November 2005 – has had a tough first season at St James's Park, and he has had patiently wait for opportunities since he was dropped after the defeat by Liverpool at Anfield in early February, with Keegan refusing to change a winning team.

However, for the first time in eight games, he will have to make a change to the three-pronged attack of Viduka, Michael Owen and Obafemi Martins which has fired the club up the Premier League, and also his midfield engine room.

And Smith could be given one final opportunity this season to open his United account.

Asked about his selection dilemma, Keegan told the Gazette: "Every time at a football club, when a player gets injured, it's a blow.

"All managers are the same. You have a board in your room, and you move that player where it says injured, and you look at what you have left.

"You say: 'Right – it's an opportunity for this guy'. That's the easy part. The hardest part is for the guy to grab that opportunity.

"There will be opportunities for one or two players this weekend at Everton, but that doesn't mean to say it will weaken the side. It may be, by doing this at this time, that we strengthen it."

Charles N'Zogbia, Damien Duff and Andy Carroll are also hoping to get the nod from Keegan.

Keegan will also be without Emre, who has joined up with his Turkey team-mates for a pre-Euro 2008 training camp, and James Milner, who is still short of fitness.