Everton, Martinez Make Statement of Intent in Europa League Win over Wolfsburg

Everton returned to European action with a bang, recording an emphatic 4-1 victory over Wolfsburg, as Roberto Martinez showed the Europa League some refreshing respect.

A quiet first half burst into life for two brief passages of play, as Everton twice injected tempo into their play and found the net both times: Leighton Baines setting up Steven Naismith (whose strike was later credited as an own goal) and Seamus Coleman.

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Baines then dispatched a fortuitously awarded penalty moments after the break to effectively seal the win. Though Wolfsburg staged a strong second-half showing, Kevin Mirallas extended the Toffees' advantage before Ricardo Rodriguez delivered a late consolation.

The 4-1 scoreline sends a strong message from Martinez's side, but a stronger note can be taken from the Catalan's choice of team.

The Europa League is often viewed as an unwanted distraction for Premier League sides, regularly flooded with fringe first-teamers. Prior to Everton's kick-off, Tottenham enhanced that view by making 10 changes for their 0-0 draw with Partizan Belgrade.

For Martinez, though, throwing in the likes of Joel Robles, Antolin Alcaraz or Darron Gibson was never in his thinking—or at least never at this stage.

Having secured a first win of the season on Saturday, the Catalan named a completely unchanged line-up, something he's only done in seven Premier League games during his time at the club.

This gave the Europa League some preferential treatment and enabled Everton to sustain the momentum gained from that recent win.

While it may make Sunday's home game with Crystal Palace a little more taxing, Martinez's selection not only makes sense in the short term, but also for his side's longevity this season.

Looking ahead, four of Everton's remaining five Europa League games are followed by away games, putting huge demands on any players set to feature in those games. He never mentioned it, but this game was arguably the most crucial of the Toffees' initial six in Europe.

By keeping his selection strong in this game, Everton's manager grabbed a crucial three points, which allows him key manoeuvrability for the rest of the group stage. 

With a win in the bag, he now has the option of rotation, especially with the next tie—an away trip to Russia—sandwiched between trips to Anfield and Old Trafford.

This is exactly how the Europa League should be played. Whether the Catalan does eventually rotate his side or not, he's earned that right by prioritising early.

With an initial selection showing genuine commitment towards this season's trophy, Martinez also revealed his club's ambitions: Everton are clearly in the Europa League to win it.