Everton manager Roberto Martinez has confirmed that defender Tyias Browning will miss the rest of the season after he had an operation on his knee.
The 21-year old started four games for the Toffees earlier in the season, but hasn’t featured since the 1-1 draw with Merseyside rivals Liverpool in October.
Speaking to David Prentice of the Liverpool Echo, the Everton manager said that he won’t be looking to bring in any defensive players in January, despite the injuries that his side currently have.
We always look at how the squad is in every window but we have four first team defenders injured today and that happens.
But if you are going to have three injuries in your goalkeeping positions you are not going to keep four goalkeepers just in case.
I think we need to be realistic. Our squad is big enough, our squad is strong and we have a great balance of experience and the talent that we have and at the moment we are going to get Phil Jagielka back very, very soon.
We are going to have Tyias Browning out for the season but we have got Bryan Oviedo to come back as well so the players are at the football club.
Always one to take positives, the Spaniard said that the fact that his side have continued to defend well despite having so many injuries is a testament to the depth in his squad, and also to the development programme at Everton.
On the plus side is that we have performed really, really well having five first team defenders out of the line-up. It is a real sign of the development of the young players here and I wouldn’t bring players here just for the sake of it.
Martinez also spoke about the return of midfielder Tom Cleverley, and said that having competition for places in his starting eleven is something that will ultimately benefit the club.
We need that competition for places. I think in the last two games Tom has been very, very impressive because he has picked up the tempo of the games so quickly.
Early on in the season he adapted really well, he started really well and the injury could have been a real setback but it hasn’t set him back at all.
He has been regenerated and desperate to come back. We need performances like Tom Cleverley’s and we need players like James McCarthy back and we need to get as strong as we can.
