Tuesday, 26th November, 2013
Everton manager Roberto Martinez has revealed that left-back Leighton Baines has suffered a fractured toe and could be out for as long as six weeks.
Baines suffered the injury in the weekend's Merseyside derby against Liverpool, a match which ended 3-3.
He had an x-ray at the weekend and now Martinez has revealed the prognosis, with the best case scenario a ten day return, while the worst would see the defender miss the entire busy festive period of games.
Martinez told his club's official site: "It has been confirmed that Leighton has got a fracture in one of the bones in his right foot, which is the phalange.
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"We need to treat that now and see how it develops. It could mean anything from missing six weeks to being back in 10 days because it depends how the fracture heals.
"It is in such a specific spot and we are going to see how it reacts."
Despite the news, Martinez has not cut a downbeat figure and explained he has other options at left-back.
"We have got other players at the football club who can play in that position, from Bryan Oviedo to Tony Hibbert and Sylvain Distin to John Stones. We have got many, many options."
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