Roberto Martinez insists he has had no falling out with defender Sylvain Distin.

The Everton manager reportedly had a disagreement with the French defender following the Capital One Cup defeat by Swansea City last month and Distin was understood to have been given two weeks off as a result.

The 36-year-old missed games against Liverpool, Krasnodar and Manchester United and Martinez admits the centre half was available for selection in the latter two games.

Sylvain Distin is set to return for Everton against Aston Villa having been frozen out of the first-team

Distin was a regular last season but had replaced by John Stones until the youngster's injury

However, the long-term injury to John Stones means Distin is back in the fold to face Aston Villa this weekend and Martinez said: ‘You will always get rumours, but the reality was that he picked up a knock after the Swansea game and obviously at that period I considered it was right for him to have a bit of break and rejuvenate.

‘But sometimes he is such a professional he works too hard. He is someone who is not just happy with what he does with the team, he has his individual programmes and he works too much.

‘I felt that he needed a bit of a break but now he has come back refreshed and ready to fight for his place. Sylvain is training well and is fully refreshed and is ready to fight for his place.

Roberto Martinez on Thursday insisted he has not fallen out with Distin despite dropping the defender

‘Sylvain’s experience is quite unique and it’s a great sign to see him enjoying his football, enjoying his training and it’s a great opportunity to have him in the squad. It’s great to see him around the place with that energy and the desire to help the team.’

Martinez, who said Distin had suffered a dead leg in his right thigh against Swansea, added: ‘He could have played the last game against Manchester United and maybe Krasnodar, but the little knock that he had stopped him from being available for Liverpool and from that point on it was just making sure he could recover.

‘You need players fully fit and ready to perform and Sylvain is ready, he has been training really well the whole week.

Distin celebrates Everton's second goal against Leicester on the opening day of the season

‘I think every player wants to play and the moment you lose that desire you’re not going to last. As a player you want to play every minute and that’s how it should be.’

Ross Barkley is also nearing a return to full fitness but Martinez says that it’s too early to tell if he’ll be ready for Saturday’s game.

‘Sometimes you forget what a sensational footballer he is. It’s too early to tell if he’s going to be involved on Saturday but I don’t see him being to far away.

‘James McCarthy, Seamus Coleman and Steven Pienaar are also very close. If it’s not the weekend I expect them to be available for the Europa League game.’