Everton host Crystal Palace on Monday evening looking to extend their unbeaten record in all competitions to seven games.
Palace make the long trip to Merseyside having performed inconsistently of late, but on their last two visits to Goodison Park, they have left with the three points.
Everton
© Getty Images
At the start of 2015, Everton manager Roberto Martinez faced a challenge to keep his job at Goodison Park, but the Spaniard is ending the year in charge of one of the best Toffees squads in recent memory.
Martinez and Everton have undoubtedly benefited from the lack of European football this campaign, but they look on track to return to that stage if they continue their recent form in both the Premier League and League Cup.
Goals from Gerard Deulofeu and Romelu Lukaku earned Everton a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough in the Capital One Cup in midweek, while last week's 3-3 draw at Bournemouth, albeit disappointing, was their fourth game without defeat in the league.
Conceding three goals in the closing stages on the South Coast was tough to take, but it extended the club's record of only having suffered setbacks against Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal in all competitions since the start of August.
Keeping pace with the top six may depend on keeping Lukaku, Deulofeu and Ross Barkley fit, but as long as the star trio keep on producing in the final third, the absence of Phil Jagielka will not be felt.
The England international remains absent with a knee injury, but despite the club's only clean sheet in eight league games coming at home to Aston Villa, Martinez should not be too concerned regarding the performance of his backline.
Recent form: LLWDWD
Recent form (all competitions): DWDWDW
Crystal Palace
© Getty Images
When Crystal Palace slipped up at home to Sunderland a couple of weeks ago, manager Alan Pardew may have feared that his side had lost the cutting edge that has been present ever since his arrival in January, but those concerns were erased in emphatic style last weekend.
The Eagles slipped a goal behind at home to struggling Newcastle United, but soon after the restart, they had netted four goals before eventually sealing a 5-1 triumph over the Magpies in the final minute.
It was a ruthless performance from a team who had not won in three fixtures at Selhurst Park, but more importantly, it kept Palace placed in the middle of a group of teams who are all vying for European qualification at the end of the season.
Yannick Bolasie netted his first double in a game since his hat-trick at Sunderland in April, but the side still lacks the goalscoring contribution of a natural frontman, although the likes of Connor Wickham and Patrick Bamford have not always been used by Pardew.
The performance of Wickham against Newcastle did draw praise from his manager, but he and Chelsea loanee Bamford are still without a goal in six starts and eight substitute appearances between them.
Recent form: LLDWLW
Recent form (all competitions): LLDWLW
Team News
© Getty Images
Martinez must decide whether to include Leighton Baines in the starting lineup after he made a successful return to action from an ankle problem in midweek.
Midfielder James McCarthy remains a doubt after picking up an injury against Bournemouth last weekend, while Tyias Browning is likely to be out for the rest of the season after surgery on a knee injury.
Palace will be without Wilfried Zaha through suspension, with Bakary Sako also sidelined with a knee issue.
However, the Eagles are boosted by the return of Dwight Gayle, while Marouane Chamakh is also pushing for a start.
Everton possible starting lineup:
Howard; Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Galloway; McCarthy, Barry; Deulofeu, Barkley, Kone; Lukaku
Crystal Palace possible starting lineup:
Hennessey, Ward, Dann, Delaney, Souare, McArthur, Cabaye, Ledley, Puncheon, Bolasie, Wickham
Head To Head
Sunday's match will represent the 42nd time that the two teams have met, with Everton claiming 17 victories compared to 12 for Palace.
With Palace only regaining their spot in the Premier League two years ago, just seven meetings have taken place since 2001, with Palace winning just twice during that period.
However, both were 3-2 triumphs on their most recent visits to Goodison Park in 2014.
We say: Everton 2-1 Crystal Palace
Despite the absence of Zaha and Sako, Palace should pose a constant threat to the Toffees, but they face a difficult challenge to stifle the threat of Lukaku, Deulofeu and Barkley, and the home side's superior quality in the final third could prove decisive.
Darren Plant
