• Defender on mend after fractured toe • Likely to feature against Sunderland next week

The Everton manager Roberto Martínez has reported that his defender Leighton Baines could return to first-team action against Sunderland on Boxing Day.

Baines has not featured since suffering a fractured toe in the Merseyside derby against Liverpool on 23 November.

Asked on Friday for an update on the full-back's condition ahead of Sunday's trip to Swansea, Martínez would not rule Baines out of being involved in that game but stressed the importance of the comeback not being rushed.

"He is not far away," Martínez said. "He trained at the beginning of the week and we are going to assess how he responds to it.

"I expect Leighton to be available probably, if it is not this weekend, then the week after. It is just measuring well that we don't rush him back too early. But I would say he is not too far away, which is a beautiful Christmas present, as you can imagine.

"If he has no reaction, he will be available to play on Boxing Day, or possibly even earlier. But it just depends on how the next two days show up in his foot."