Martinez gives latest Everton injury update ahead of Arsenal clash

Ross Barkley is a doubt for Everton’s crunch clash with Arsenal at Goodison Park due to a calf injury, Roberto Martinez has revealed.

The 20-year-old suffered the problem in the 3-1 win at Fulham last weekend and may not be fit for the top-four showdown with Arsene Wenger’s side.

“Over the next three or four days we will have a clearer idea of where he is

Ross Barkley

“Ross had a knock on his calf and he is recovering well from it,” Martinez, whose side are four points behind the fourth-placed Gunners with a game in hand, told evertontv.

“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 an update on defender Phil Jagielka, who has missed the Toffees’ last six games with a hamstring injury.

Martinez continued: “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.”