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John Stones is ready to be thrown back into the starting line-up after Roberto Martinez pointed the finger of blame at Everton’s defence.

The Blues fell to a 3-0 defeat at Southampton on Saturday following a woeful display and Martinez criticised his back four after his side conceded three goals from three crosses.

Stones has been sidelined since early October with an ankle injury but, after being named on the bench against Saints, could be in line for a return on Boxing Day when Everton welcome Stoke City to Goodison Park.

Martinez is also hoping to have Kevin Mirallas back for Friday’s game and will assess injuries to James McCarthy as well as Leon Osman, saying the squad “needs some fresh blood”.

The Catalan decided not to make a single substitution at St Mary’s but the Toffees boss is likely to ring the changes for the visit of Stoke after voicing his disappointment in his defence’s role in a sixth defeat of the Premier League campaign.

Martinez said: “I didn’t think it was a game that needed a tactical change or a change of personnel.

“I think we needed to be reset at half-time and we did that.

“At the start of the second half we were taking advantage of our shape, taking advantage of Southampton’s shape and anticipating that they would work on the counter-attack.

The game in pictures:

“I don’t think today was a day that we had to try and get an advantage with the substitutions.

“You have to cover the basics right, like in any game, and I don’t think we did that.

“We didn’t defend the 18-yard box and the six yard box well enough.

“You shouldn’t be conceding three goals from corners and crosses.

“It is something we have been very strong on this season.

“If you look at the stats. We conceded against Leicester on the opening day of the season but we have not conceded from a dead ball situation since.

“So everything that could’ve gone wrong today did go wrong.”

Ross Barkley and Muhammed Besic combined to good effect as Everton’s holding midfielders in the win over Queens Park Rangers last Monday.

But Martinez decided to recall Gareth Barry following his one match ban and pushed Barkley into a wide left role - a policy that has prompted much scrutiny from Evertonians.

“I think we have got a real flexibility in the way we play,” the Blues boss said.

“We have done it a lot this season. We are trying to find certain partnerships.

“I thought Ross had a good influence on the game. He got in some good positions and he could’ve got a real positive ending.

“Today wasn’t about the shape, it wasn’t about the personnel. It was a day that we should’ve defended our 18-yard box better and that is an area that has punished us and cost us too much today.”

Read more: 5 things we learned from the 3-0 defeat