After picking up a rare home win in the Premier League, Roberto Martinez is looking for his side to kick on and get back to winning ways.

To end this campaign, Everton face newly crowned Premier League champions Leicester City before two games against relegation candidates, Sunderland and Norwich City.

While the Blues may not be going anywhere in the table, each position is now worth just over £1 Million pounds difference, meaning the higher the finish, the more money paid to your club the summer. 

Martinez wants his side to “finish as strong as we can.” Getting into the top half of the table is “important” for the the Blues boss who finds himself under extreme pressure from the fans. Chelsea and Stoke City are in the Blues way of getting into the top half and they’ll need at least two win to leapfrog them.

The sides below the Toffees are not too far away either. Watford are level on points while Swansea City, West Bromwich Albion and AFC Bournemouth are only a win away from catching up to Everton. A number of results could see the Blues back towards the wrong end of the Premier League table.

Martinez on the newly crowned champions, Leicester City

Leicester City have shocked everyone, including Roberto Martinez, by winning this seasons Premier League title.

The Blues boss described the Foxes achievement as a “modern day fairy tale" and something so unique, that it will never be replicated in the Premier League. Martinez said that Claudio Ranieri's side are “deserved champions” and that their success is “no accident.” 

The Foxes have outworked everybody this season, something Martinez’s side have severely lacked. 

Everton have a job to do on Saturday, and Martinez said that his side will “congratulate them (Leicester City)” and then they will “focus on trying to be a team that can perform against them.”

Ross Barkley will once again look to shake off N'Golo Kante this weekend. Photo: Liverpool Echo

Summer plans

This is the point of the season where manager are making plans for the summer, which players to retain, which to sell and organising their targets to buy.

Roberto Martinez’s summer plans may change in the next few weeks, but for now, he’s focusing on a summer with Everton.

The Blues have already been knocked back on one of their top transfer targets in Andriy Yarmolenko, but Martinez is still looking for a “strong” summer transfer window.

While the season is yet to conclude, the Everton boss and his staff are “already working and pushing” for the next window. Everton will have challenge on their hands in terms of retaining key players such as Romelu Lukaku and John Stones.

The Blues also need to target a goalkeeper with Tim Howard heading to the MLS to join up with the Colorado Rapids

Injury report

Gerard Deulofeu will miss the last handful of games after suffering, what Martinez described as a “freak training injury.” The winger picked up a knee ligament injury after an accidental clash with Oumar Niasse.

Gareth Barry and Seamus Coleman have “outside chances” of being fit for the trip to the King Power stadium. Barry and Coleman have both been missing with lower body injuries and had been touch and go from the game against AFC Bournemouth.

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About the author
Connor Bennett
Everton editor for VAVEL UK - contributing since 2015. Premier League accredited journalist. Journalism graduate from Liverpool. Writing about Football, eSports and the NFL. Email: [email protected] | Twitter: ConnorBennett14