Joey Barton has a warning for Everton boss Roberto Martinez

Joey Barton has warned that Roberto Martinez may face the sack - unless he can steer Everton to a strong finish to the league season.

Barton, who supported Everton as a child, has claimed that Martinez must quickly prove his worth to new majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri. "The issue for me, and it hasn’t really been noted, is that usually when owners come in, big investors - 49.9% investors, they want their own man in charge and I think there is going to be an enormous pressure," Barton told BBC Radio 5Live. Everton's midweek victory over Aston Villa has propelled the club into the top half of the Premier League table, and a European place is not out of the question. With the club also preparing for an FA Cup quarter final, Martinez could very well end the season successfully.