Martinez Provides Injury Update On Key Everton Duo Ahead Of Arsenal Clash

Arsenal take on Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon in a game that could well determine the two sides top four hopes. Here, Gooner Mac brings us an injury update from Roberto Martinez.

We face a tough trip to Everton this weekend and ahead of the game, Toffees boss Roberto Martinez has given Evertonfc.com an injury update on the fitness of key duo Ross Barkley and Phil Jagielka.

Barkley has been something of a sensation this season with his impressive displays not only earning him plaudits from all corners of the game, but he’s also broken into the England set-up and is being tipped to be on the plane to Brazil this summer.

Luckily for us, it seems the youngster is a doubt for Sunday’s showdown after being forced off at half time during Everton’s 3-1 win at Fulham last weekend with a calf problem.

Martinez has confirmed Barkley will be assessed over the next few days before a late call will be made over his involvement, but he’s hopeful the 20-year-old will make it. He told the clubs official website:

“Ross had a knock on his calf and he is recovering well from it.

“He is such a powerful boy that he coped with that knock well but obviously it was a problem straight after when the body gets cold.

“He’s such a quick healer and a young man so we hope he is going to recover in time for the game on Sunday.

“Over the next three or four days we will have a clearer idea of where he is and we are going to treat every day as it comes.”

Martinez also gave the latest on defender Phil Jagielka. The centre-back has missed the six games with a hamstring injury and although the England international is now back in light training, the Everton boss is being cautious not to rush him back to quickly.

Martinez added:

“It’s important that with the amount of games we will be experiencing that we look after Phil and make sure he is allowed to build a good degree of match fitness.

“We are going to take a real cautious approach and take each day as it comes.

“It’s great to see Phil around the place and having a big influence with the group. That’s as important for us as it is for him to be on the pitch.

“We’ll try to get him on the pitch as quickly as we can but we are making sure he’s 100 per cent.”

So it looks like Everton will almost certainly be without Jagielka while Barkley is in a race against time to be passed fit. It would be a huge boost for us if the duo are missing as they are both important players for the Merseysiders.

Obviously we have our own injury worries to deal with and it looks like none of our current injury victims will be back in time to feature this weekend, although Aaron Ramsey is expected back in training this week and is in with a shout of facing Wigan at Wembley.