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Leighton Baines is back in the Toffees team after several months out but there are suggestions, says a hack, that he is still having problems with his ankle

"You have to manage your well-being as a player and when you’ve had an injury and been out for seven months you need to give it extra attention and do extra work to make that area strong," responds Martinez.

"But it is not an issue. He is being monitored from game to game."

Roberto Martinez is asked about the prospect of losing players to other clubs in January...

"We need to be very much aware of the special side that we have. We shouldn't be worried about losing players. If we lose any of the squad, it will be for footballing reasons", he says. 

"Our fans are sharing the same frustrations that we share. We need to be patient - we can't click our fingers and expect to become a good team, become attractive to watch."

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Martinez is then asked whether they have to 'win the fans back'. 

"I don't think we ever lost them", he replies. 

"The fans know what we have - they see a fully committed team who give everything with character and personality. Some of the attacking football this season has been outstanding. 

"But we conceded 20 at Goodison. It's costing us a lot of points. We need the help of our fans to become better."

Roberto Martinez is asked whether he's happy that Everton are playing the first leg of the semi-final at home... 

"I don't think that's the case. When you've got a two-legged affair, you want the second leg at home", he says. 

"The atmosphere will be very special [at Goodison]. It's been a phenomenal competition for us. Away support has often helped the team get through. 

"If we're going to get far in this competition, we'll have to face a team like Man City, who expect to win every competition they go into."

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Are Steven Naismith or Aiden McGeady moving on in January?

"There are no developments," says Martinez, who's clearly sick to the back teeth of discussing transfer speculation ... and it's only the fifth day of January.

"I’m sure there will be a lot of rumours but there will be nothing until we announce anything."

Kevin Mirallas is being linked with Monaco, which is what Martinez is asked about next.

“I’m sure there will be that trade over the window,” he says.

“This squad is still really large because it was prepared for European football, so there are people who haven’t had enough football as they wanted.

“So we have to make a couple of decisions in order to benefit everyone.

First up, Roberto discusses injuries.

"There are no setbacks from the Spurs game at the weekend so the same squad will be available," he says.

"Tom Cleverley came through well and Phil Jagielka was a big influence in the dressing room and will slowly be involved as and when - but he is not ready to play 90 minutes yet. The weekend is a more realistic target for him."

The boss says James McCarthy "won’t make it for the next two games" but "probably by the end of the month he will be return."

Martinez says Steven Pienaar "has been working really well and should be available for the weekend."

Roberto Martinez is about to face the media ahead of tomorrow's League Cup semi-final first-leg at Goodison Park.

Here's a fascinating picture of an empty chair to prove it.

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Former QPR boss Neil Warnock believes the club would be willing to sell Charlie Austin in the transfer window - but the striker may not wish to leave.

Austin, 26, has scored 10 goals in 16 Championship appearances this season and has been linked with a number of Premier League clubs.

"I don't think Charlie is in a rush to go anywhere as he becomes a free agent in the summer," said Warnock.

Blimey Charlie. Another one bites the dust.

Quinton de Kock has gone for 5, caught by Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad taking a second wicket.

South Africa are now wobbling on 451-6. Chris Morris is the new man at the crease.

Plenty of Real Madrid fans have turned out to watch new boss Zinedine Zidane take his first training session.

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Leaving Leeds to head to Sunderland...

What events have you missed in the name of sport?

Jeepers creepers, and there's another now.

Faf du Plessis has been caught at slip by Ben Stokes off the bowling of good old Jimmy Anderson.

Are South Africa suddenly crumbling?

They are 439-5, still 190 behind England.

Hang on, we might have a game on here.

Hard to believe I know but England finally have a breakthrough.

The South African skipper spent 11 hours and 43 minutes at the crease, but it's finally all over for Hashim Amla...

Chris Rogers added: "This is a pattern of behaviour. If you know the guy, you see it over and over. It’s not just him, there’s a lot of this stuff in the sporting industry and to defend it is not right at all.

"I listened to that and didn’t see it as funny at all. He says it’s just a joke, well it’s not just a joke is it? And his apology?

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"He’s basically saying, ‘oh well if she feels bad about it then I feel bad about that’ but he’s not actually saying he’s sorry he said it.

"He has to realise at some stage, and I’d be the first to admit that at times I’ve let myself down with my behaviour, but you grow up and you start making better decisions. He needs to start making better decisions”.

If Chris Gayle wants backing from those within the game, he isn't going to get it from former Australia opener Chris Rogers.

Commenting on the furore surrounding Gayle's on-air interview with Mel McLaughlin - for which the West Indian batsman was fined £4,900 for "inappropriate conduct" - Rogers told ABC Grandstand: “I know this guy and it's a bit difficult because he might be playing at Somerset where I’m going to playing this year.

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"But from my time at the Sydney Thunder I was very disappointed in his attitude and his behaviour. I’ve never been a fan since.

"I would go out with him socially in a group, as you do in a team and I’d probably distance myself from him. I was very wary of the role he was setting for the young guys and I spoke to them quite a bit; ‘do you think this is good behaviour? Would you do this kind of thing?’ And all of them, to give them credit, were like no, we don’t think this is right."

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Zinedine Zidane might have no problems winning over the fans at Real Madrid, but it could be trickier to prove his coaching credentials to the media.

"The problem of coaches is like that of melons: until you open them you don't know if they are sweet or inedible," says today's Marca sports daily -- the most read in Spain.

"A risky operation albeit with possibilities," it added in a separate article.

"The Frenchman is a football legend and a great figure of Madrid. But his coaching experience is inversely proportional to his excellent footballer's experience -- limited ... and controversial."

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Former world champion Martyn Irvine has announced his retirement from cycling.

The 30-year-old from Newtownards, Northern Ireland, represented Ireland and won medals at European, Commonwealth and world events.

The pinnacle was a scratch race gold at the 2013 Track Cycling World Championships in Minsk.

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Former Real Madrid coach John Toshack says Rafael Benitez's departure from the Spanish giants will not adversely affect Wales forward Gareth Bale.

Benitez has been sacked after just seven months in charge, with club legend Zinedine Zidane replacing him.

Bale, 26, is reportedly upset by Benitez's exit but Toshack thinks his compatriot will stay at the Bernabeu.

"I don't see it affecting Gareth at all," Toshack said. "I don't see that as a problem."

Bale joined Madrid in a world record £85m move from Tottenham in 2013 and has scored seven goals in his past six games for Real - but he has been linked with a return to the Premier League with Manchester United.