Phil Jagielka, James McCarthy, Bryan Oviedo and Steven Pienaar are all close to first team action after lengthy spells on the sidelines.
The quartet are set to play at least some part in the festive period as the Blues prepare to play seven games in three weeks. Everton will face Newcastle, Stoke and Spurs before cup games against Manchester City in the Capital One Cup and Dagenham & Redbridge in the FA Cup Third Round. League meetings with City and Chelsea away make up the busy period.
The Blues will be looking to get back to winning ways against Newcastle this weekend with no win in four games, and after the disappointment of the Leicester City defeat, Roberto Martinez will be looking for a response from his players if they are to now hit form in arguably the most important period of the season.
Speaking in his pre-match conference, Martinez expressed how happy he was to have his injured players close to a return. He said:
“We’ve had a real boost with the players coming back from injury. Steven Pienaar, Phil Jagielka, James McCarthy and Bryan Oviedo, I expect them to play some part in the next seven games.
“We’ve got seven games in the next three weeks, so it is a really busy period.“We feel very confident that, one way or another, they will be involved in those seven games as long as their fitness comes along with the work at the training ground.
“For Boxing Day, it is difficult they will get back even though we have got two sessions. What we need to make sure is that when they come back, they are match fit and can pick up the tempo.”
Martinez also confirmed that Steven Naismith missed the Leicester game through an ankle injury and should be set to return for the Newcastle game:
“Steven is going to train today and should be available for Newcastle. he had a bit of a niggle in his ankle and needed a bit of treatment and work.
“We’ve been doing that in the last six or seven days, so I expect him to be fit for the weekend.”
