Everton vs Sunderland: Martinez talks injuries, Lukaku's future and influence of Kendall

Roberto Martinez set down for his routine press conference yesterday morning ahead of Sunderland’s visit to Goodison Park.

The Spaniard is cautious of the Black Cats’ threat after their derby win over Newcastle United last week,

"Winning the derby against Newcastle has given them a boost. They have been galvanised.

We want to get our feeling on Tuesday into the league.

It has been a really demanding start to the season but we are looking forward to the next nine games.

Sunderland are clearly a team starting to understand a new way of playing."

But the Everton gaffer did suggest he would rather focus on the players rather than Sunderland’s new manager, Sam Allardyce; who has been depicted as the architect for the visitor’s resurgence.

"We all know he gets his teams fired up and gets the best from his players.

I can tell you it will be a good performance from his team. But it’s not about the managers it’s about the players.

We had a really good feeling getting to the quarter-finals of the League Cup and we need to use that to our advantage."

In terms of his own team, Martinez gave the following team news;

"Seamus Coleman couldn’t be involved on Tuesday and is a huge question mark for the weekend. Nothing serious but he has lost a bit of weight. Maybe Sunday is too early for him.

Mo Besic and Leighton [Baines] will be training with the team for the first time today but maybe it will be too early for them to be selected for the weekend."

Furthermore, the question over who will be between the sticks for Everton on Sunday, came up once again,

"Football is about competition for places. That’s why it’s so great to see Joel performing in the manner he did on Tuesday. That’s what you want all over the park.

Goalkeepers are no different. Competition is very important.

I’m delighted to have experience of Tim Howard when it’s most needed, especially when you have young players in the back four."

And at the other end of the pitch, Martinez described his main marksman as;

"He has developed from a young age and is in a perfect moment to kick on.

That’s the only thing that matters at Everton, that Romelu [Lukaku] can keep fulfilling that role."

Moving on from the players, the Everton manager expressed his desire to get the Goodison fortress back up and rolling.

"We are playing at home. We are desperate to get back to winning ways and enjoying our football.

We’ll respect the opposition but we need to push ourselves to get back to enjoying football and use playing at Goodison to good effect."

And finally, Martinez had a few upbeat words reflecting on Everton legend, Howard Kendall’s funeral,

"It was an incredible event. We were all so proud and touched by the incredible reaction.

Howard was an incredible legend and an Everton great. It was a real classy event and I think Howard would have been very proud.

It was a unique source of inspiration. To get Everton as a point of reference in Europe... it’s a perfect inspiration to go forward."