Everton injury report ahead of West Ham

There is some good news for Everton on the injury front as a number of players are back training with the first team squad. However, it is unlikely any of them will be fit to play this weekend.

Leighton Baines has been ramping up his training schedule and is almost fully fit. Roberto Martinez has stated his excitement at how quickly the left back has recovered from ankle surgery, and has scheduled a closed-doors, friendly game during next week's international break for all the Everton players not away on national team duty.

"We have a got a game that will be behind closed doors in the international break and Leighton will be playing a part in that."

The manager faces a possible selection headache soon at that position, after scans on Bryan Oviedo's hamstring injury proved he will only be out for 2-3 weeks at most. Brendan Galloway is the current starter and will play at Upton Park this weekend.

"The competition we are going to have in that left-back slot is really, really exciting.

"He needs to have that confidence when making blocks and the contact you can get in a football game.

"You only get that by those sorts of exercises because training isn't good enough in order to test yourself, so we will do that behind closed doors.

"That's why I feel the international break is going to be a really important period to get that."

Midfielders Tom Cleverley and Steven Pienaar are both recovering well and are expected to be back in contention around the international break as well.

Youngster Liam Wilson, who scored a spectacular goal midweek during a youth game has also been training with the senior squad. The Everton U-18 side, who are currently top of the youth league table, have often been invited to train with the squad this season.

In other news, forward Conor McAleny has had his loan spell at Charlton Athletic cut short and he is back training with the Blues too.

Finally, Tyias Browning has been called up to the England U-21 squad for the first time, joining his fellow Blue Brendan Galloway. Academy prospects Mason Holgate and Russell Griffiths are in the national U-20 side.