Supporters showed their support for the left back by unfurling a “Baines is one of us” banner ahead of kick-off after Martinez revealed the defender was made to apologise for comments concerning team chemistry following last week’s defeat by Manchester United.
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Speaking to the Liverpool Echo, Baines admitted that Everton as a collective have been over-reliant on certain players this season and that the team’s morale is constantly in flux due to the inconsistency of their results.
However, manager Roberto Martinez criticised the media for misinterpreting the remarks.
The experience of someone like Leighton Baines, he has to take responsibility for those words.
Everton are now 12th in the table, on 38 points, with eight games remaining, but they are still in the FA Cup and Martinez believes their cup run has had an adverse effect on their league form.
“They may attract a meaning that is not correct and for that he has apologised, for leaving those words open”.
“I’ve had a chat with him and he knows he has to take responsibility for those words”, the Everton boss told reporters. “But we expect that at Everton, that a senior player takes responsibility”.
Despite guiding the club to an FA Cup semi-final, Martinez has come under increasing pressure at Everton with performances in the league well below the excepted level of the Goodison Park faithful.
He added: “I wouldn’t say we are a team who relies on individuals. We’re not a team that we’re going to give in in one competition as important for us as the league is”, the manager claimed.
We have developed a strong mentality and I don’t think it’s a case where it’s going to be tested by comments from the outside. We want to win silverware. “I need to win football games in order for the fans to understand that’s the way forward”.
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“The worry is not: ‘We haven’t got money and we have to sell our best assets because we have to balance the books.’ We are not in that situation”.
