Moyes believes their never-say-die attitude will serve them well in this Group I game.

Joseph Yobo and Leon Osman are the latest absentees with head and ankle injuries that prevented them travelling to Portugal.

They have joined Steven Pienaar, Phil Neville, Phil Jagielka, Mikel Arteta, Victor Anichebe and James Vaughan in the treatment room.

If that was not enough, Lucas Neill and John Heitinga are ineligible to face one of football's most famous names.

Asked if he felt had enough quality in the squad to get the job done, Moyes said: "Yes, it is part of what we do at Everton.

"You look over the course of a season we have to fight very hard in the Premier League.

"The last two years we have finished fifth. So we have some consistency. Part of that has been our quality to never give in an I am sure the players will do that again."

Everton are in a similar situation to their last outing in Belarus when they were down in numbers but battled back to beat BATE Borisov for a second successive victory.

Not that Moyes has a points tally in mind yet that could see qualification to the next stage.

He said: "I felt it might have been better had Benfica beaten Athens but that did not happen.

"At the moment we have done our job by winning the first two games. We will certainly have to win at least another one to make sure we qualify.

"The European games have helped us improve. The run we had two years ago when we lost to Fiorentina on penalty kicks showed that improvement.

"We go into all games trying to win but it is fair to suggest we might be happy coming to Benfica and taking a point." Pienaar has spoken of his frustration at being sidelined with a knee injury for the fourth match in a row.

The South African midfielder said: "A few of the fibres split in my ligament so I have to rest and do my exercises. But at the moment I am struggling with running.

"I spent the summer at the Confederations Cup and when I returned to Everton I wanted to work hard, stay fit and not pick up any injuries.

"Unfortunately, though, sometimes injuries happen in football and now I have to climb the ladder again to regain my fitness. I know I will then have to fight for my place back in the team."

Everton will be backed by their biggest support on a European stage for 25 years.

The club have officially sold nearly 5,500 tickets while many more fans are expected to travel independently.

It the largest away following since the successful European Cup Winners' Cup campaign of 1985.

Club captain Neville and defender Jagielka, meanwhile, have travelled to Lisbon to support the side.

Moyes added: "Everton have a big history in Europe, like Benfica. The supporters are very proud the team are back at this level and playing tomorrow's opponents.

"A game like this is always exciting for supporters. We will have a big support here as we have done in many away games."