Tuesday 15 December 2015 19:27, UK
Leighton Baines says he is "almost pain-free" after seven months out of the game with ankle injuries.
The Everton left-back completed 90 minutes at Norwich on Saturday for the first time since having two operations, hitting the post in a 1-1 draw.
And Baines is confident the "ups and downs" which go hand-in-hand with recovery will soon be behind him heading into the New Year and, potentially, a trip to Euro 2016 with England.
"This last 10 days or so I've felt great," said Baines, who was used a substitute twice before Roberto Martinez threw him in from the start at Carrow Road.
"There has been no reaction and I'm close to being pain-free. I'm in a positive place. Getting on in a couple of games was good psychologically and it was good just to be in and around the first team again.
"It had been a long time. Seven months is a long time to be out and so there are going to be little ups and down and I can't expect to be perfect at the moment but I am really happy with where I am at.
"Hopefully there will be more opportunities to tick more boxes and get more minutes and that one on Saturday was a big one for me getting 90 minutes, it was a full game and required me to manage myself through that."
Martinez expects to have another key defender back soon: Phil Jagielka could return before the end of the month after recovering from a knee injury.
"Jags has been back running on the grass, which is always a very good sign," said the manager. "The next step is to involve him in more football, and the way Jags is, I feel we'll see him back available very, very soon."
