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Everton’s Roberto Martínez defends Ross Barkley against diving claims Everton’s Roberto Martínez defends Ross Barkley against diving claims
(35 minutes later)
Roberto Martínez said Ross Barkley is not a diver and claims the incident where the Everton midfielder went to ground against West Ham “has been blown out of proportion”. Roberto Martínez said Ross Barkley is not a diver and claims the incident in which the Everton midfielder went to ground against West Ham “has been blown out of proportion”.
Asked whether he had spoken to Barkley about diving, the Everton manager said: “Not at all. I don’t think it [Saturday’s incident] was a dive as such. When you are a player like Ross Barkley and you are getting so many knocks and kicks during the game, the only thing he did was anticipate a tackle that didn’t arrive. He tried to get out of the way. I don’t think he looks for those sort of decisions. He wasn’t trying to buy a decision.”Asked whether he had spoken to Barkley about diving, the Everton manager said: “Not at all. I don’t think it [Saturday’s incident] was a dive as such. When you are a player like Ross Barkley and you are getting so many knocks and kicks during the game, the only thing he did was anticipate a tackle that didn’t arrive. He tried to get out of the way. I don’t think he looks for those sort of decisions. He wasn’t trying to buy a decision.”
Due a hamstring problem, Steven Naismith is among several Everton players who have not travelled to Germany, including Leighton Baines (hamstring), Gareth Barry (ankle), Darron Gibson (knee) and Steven Pienaar (knee). Due to a hamstring problem, Steven Naismith is among several Everton players who have not travelled to Germany, including Leighton Baines (hamstring), Gareth Barry (ankle), Darron Gibson (knee) and Steven Pienaar (knee).
Everton provisional squad Howard, Robles, Griffiths, Distin, Jagielka, Coleman, Hibbert, Garbutt, Browning, Ledson, Besic, Barkley, McCarthy, Osman, McGeady, Mirallas, Atsu, Koné, Eto’o, Lukaku.Everton provisional squad Howard, Robles, Griffiths, Distin, Jagielka, Coleman, Hibbert, Garbutt, Browning, Ledson, Besic, Barkley, McCarthy, Osman, McGeady, Mirallas, Atsu, Koné, Eto’o, Lukaku.