The first Premier League fixture after Christmas will see Everton make the short trip down the M62 to face champions Manchester City at the Etihad on Boxing Day.
Man City's demise this season has arguably been the biggest story across Europe, with Pep Guardiola's side now out of the title race and on a run of one win in 12 games.
Match preview
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Another chastening afternoon for the reigning champions last weekend saw them lose 2-1 away to Aston Villa, falling even further off the summit, and extending their astonishing run of poor form.
With just four points collected from their previous eight games, no team in the Premier League has fewer in that time, resulting in them sitting outside the top six at Christmas, behind the likes of Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth.
Sitting a mammoth 12 points behind Liverpool having also played a game more suggests the title is already beyond them, even though they have pulled back huge margins in the past.
Playing first on Boxing Day gives them a chance to move back up the table briefly though, and City have not lost back-to-back home league games in almost four years, and they are unlikely to repeat that feat with the matches they have coming up.
While many of the clubs they have faced in recent weeks have been challenging opponents, City now face Everton, Leicester City, West Ham United, Salford City, Brentford and Ipswich Town in their next six across all competitions, handing them the perfect opportunity to get back on track.
Everton in particular have proven very favourable opponents in recent years, because City have not lost at home to the Toffees in 13 matches, dating back to a run of four straight defeats for the hosts between 2008 and 2010.
Since their promotion back to the top flight in the early 2000s, City have also won all seven of their home matches played on Boxing Day, but the only other time these two have met on this day in the Premier League, Everton won - back in 2004.
Doing so again will be a tall order though, considering Everton have won just one of the last 22 meetings with Man City, losing 12 of the last 13.
Likewise though, Everton have an excellent Boxing Day record, remaining undefeated in their last eight away games on this day dating back to 2005, and the last time they faced the reigning champions on December 26, they beat Leicester in 2016.
The visitors will also be full of confidence after an excellent run of results has eased the pressure on manager Sean Dyche, who was under fire following a 4-0 loss at Manchester United less than a month ago.
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Everton then inflicted the same scoreline on Wolves, before holding both Arsenal and Chelsea to 0-0 draws, doing their bitter rivals Liverpool a big favour in the title race.
In a week that also saw the club taken over by the Friedkin Group, and being handed the keys to their new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock, spirits are as high as they have been for a while among the blue half of Merseyside.
Everton are four points above the relegation zone at present, something many fans would have taken heading into a treacherous run of games in December, and they have their defence to thank for getting points on the board.
Three straight clean sheets means the Toffees now have the most across Europe's top-five leagues since the start of October (seven), with the Chelsea game seeing them record their fifth 0-0 draw of the season already.
Their attack remains a huge concern though, with Jack Harrison being the next culprit in squandering a huge opportunity at the weekend, and still only Southampton have a worse offensive record than Dyche's men (14 scored).
Team News
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Man City could be without former Everton man John Stones after he was forced off at Villa Park with discomfort in his foot, while Ederson is a doubt due to illness.
Matheus Nunes also missed the game with a knock, but with City now welcoming back players such as Mateo Kovacic and Nathan Ake, his services may not be required as often.
Elsewhere on the injury list, Ruben Dias will miss the next couple of weeks with a muscle problem, Oscar Bobb is not expected back until February, while Rodri will miss most of the season with his ACL tear.
Everton will have Armando Broja available again after he was ineligible to face parent club Chelsea last weekend, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin is again the favourite to start, despite now being on a 12-game scoring drought.
Ashley Young is suspended after he picked up a fifth caution of the season against Chelsea, so club captain Seamus Coleman is expected to come in and make a rare start following numerous injury setbacks this season.
Dwight McNeil failed a late fitness test ahead of Sunday's fixture, and remains a doubt here, meaning Everton could be unchanged apart from the enforced alteration at right-back.
Manchester City possible starting lineup:
Ortega; Walker, Akanji, Ake, Gvardiol; De Bruyne, Kovacic; Savinho, Foden, Doku; Haaland
Everton possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Coleman, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Gueye, Mangala, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin
We say: Manchester City 3-0 Everton
City's recent form has been scarcely believable, but they have plenty of favourable fixtures ahead, starting with this one against opponents who have enjoyed very few good days at the Etihad in the past few years.
In the last 365 days, Everton have won just one Premier League away game, and that was at Ipswich, and ending their near 15-year wait for a win at the Etihad looks unlikely to come here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Andrew Delaney
