Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter by email with the day's key headlines and transfer news Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Roberto Martinez has revealed the gruesome details behind Ross Barkley's crippling injury... and insisted he's lucky not to be out for the entire year.

The England star damaged knee ligaments in a challenge with team-mate Gareth Barry in training, with his manager suggesting had it happened any earlier in pre-season, the completely accidental collision would have destroyed Barkley's season.

Martinez is hopeful his brilliant young midfielder will be back within two months, but admitted his relief that it wasn't a more serious problem.

"He is fortunate really, yes, it could have been a lot worse. If that action happened earlier in pre-season, it could have been a far more serious injury," the manager said.

"Three weeks earlier and it would have been a full rupture because you are not as fit, strong and the body is not ready to react to that.

"I've seen that situation cause an injury that is a full rupture in knee ligament, which then requires surgery and which would keep you out for the whole season. Ross only has a partial tear, he was strong, and he's in a good position. He could be back within seven to eight weeks."

Even so, losing your most promising talent for two months is a major blow to Everton's hopes of challenging for a top four place.

(Image: Chris Brunskill)

But despite that setback, Martinez has no plans to tell his players to ease off in training... because he believes that's the way to generate more serious injuries.

"It was such an innocuous challenge and very unfortunate. Gareth Barry was challenging the ball, but it wasn't a bad tackle," the Spanish coach explained.

"They both collided the ball, the force came back and that opened the ligament. It was unfortunate just because Gareth had the knee closed when he challenged, and Ross had the knee open, so you can imagine the forces on the ball.

"I would like to think that nobody would like to pull out of a challenge like that. I hope we don't lose that in training, we want to train the way we play with that much intensity.

"It wasn't an action that had he experience then he would have avoided the injury. If you are not fully committed in training then you get injured for other reasons."

It is a tough blow for Barkley too, who will miss two important England matches after establishing himself in the squad during the summer World Cup.

(Image: Michael Regan - The FA)

Yet Martinez believes the midfielder will have no problems in his rehabilitation...after enduring a season out of the game when he broke his leg as a youngster.

"He's been through a lot. I was talking to him and he just can't wait to come back, nothing else. He doesn't feel down or it is a missed opportunity. He's realistic and hopeful about it," he said.

"It is true, as a young man it is not normal to have the experiences Ross had - he broke his leg, he's played a fantastic season in the first team of the club that he loves, then he goes to the World Cup and starts in the World Cup.

"The amount of experiences that he's had has helped him to be fully focused on coming back even stronger."