Two European hopefuls will go head to head on Sunday afternoon as Everton welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Goodison Park.
Nine points separate the two sides in the table at the halfway stage, but victory for either would be a big step in the right direction towards their respective goals.
Everton
© Getty Images
Everton fans could be forgiven for feeling a little confused by their team at the start of 2016.
On the one hand, the Toffees have been one of the most exciting teams to watch in the Premier League this season, with some even suggesting that this is the best squad at the club's disposal since their glory days of the 1980s.
Only Leicester City and Manchester City have scored more goals than the Merseysiders this season, and in Romelu Lukaku they have the league's joint-top scorer with 15 goals in 19 appearances and 11 in his last 10 in all competitions.
Yet they still find themselves in the bottom half of the table at the turn of the year. It is clear to see where their problems lie too, and Monday's seven-goal thriller against Stoke City was perhaps the perfect example of their season so far.
After a topsy-turvy match that swung both ways, Everton looked on course for three points having turned things around to lead 3-2 with 10 minutes remaining. However, a strike from Joselu levelled things up before Marko Arnautovic's controversial penalty in stoppage time gave the Potters a dramatic 4-3 victory.
Fans can certainly not complain of a lack of entertainment - Everton's 19 matches this season have provided 63 goals, even more than those involving Leicester, with 41 of those coming at Goodison Park.
However, the major problem is so many going in at the wrong end. The Toffees have the league's worst defensive record outside the bottom seven, while no side has shipped more goals in front of their own fans this season.
It is now just one win in their last six league outings, and their only victories since September have come against the current bottom three. They are yet to beat a team in the top half of the table this season, while before Monday's loss their only defeats had been to sides who occupied a top-four spot at the time - a position Spurs currently find themselves in.
Despite scoring 16 goals in their last five league games at Goodison, only five teams have amassed fewer points in front of their own fans this season, with the Toffees having picked up only one point from the nine on offer at home in December.
They still have players in form, though. In addition to Lukaku, who has scored seven goals in his last five league games at home, Ross Barkley has directly contributed to 13 league goals this term (scored six, assisted seven), which is more than his previous four league campaigns combined.
The imminent return of Phil Jagielka from injury could well help their woes at the other end, although they will be braced for further interest in his fellow centre-back John Stones during the January transfer window.
Recent form: DDDLWL
Recent form (all competitions): WDDLWL
Tottenham
© Getty Images
The balance that Everton are striving for does seem to be present in Tottenham's side, which has helped them to keep touch with the league leaders over the first half of the season.
Spurs are four points clear of fifth-placed Crystal Palace and six in front of Manchester United and Liverpool in the race for Champions League football next term.
However, Mauricio Pochettino may have his sights set on loftier targets than that. Tottenham are considered by many to be dark horses for the title - a view endorsed by Everton boss Roberto Martinez in the build-up to this match.
Only four points separate Spurs from their North London rivals Arsenal and surprise package Leicester, the latter of whom are the only other team in the top flight to have lost just twice this season.
Only one of Tottenham's defeats has come since the opening day of the season, and they have responded to that surprise loss at home to Newcastle United with three consecutive victories - one more will give them four on the bounce for the first time in two years.
They are now unbeaten in eight Premier League away games following a 2-1 triumph over in-form Watford in their final game of the year, only losing on the road this season at Old Trafford courtesy of Kyle Walker's own goal on the opening day.
Only three teams have picked up more points on their travels this season and only Crystal Palace have conceded fewer, while home and away Spurs boast the best defensive record in the division.
That, coupled with a 33-goal haul that puts them just behind Everton in the scoring stakes, gives them the best goal difference in the league too, so the signs are certainly there for a serious title challenge.
It would help if Harry Kane continued his 2015 form in the opening months of the new year too. He netted 27 times in the Premier League last year - more than any other player - with 16 of his 21 from the 2014-15 campaign coming after the turn of the year.
Spurs also have a good recent record in their opening matches of a calendar year, winning each of their last five, including a famous 5-3 triumph over eventual champions Chelsea on New Year's Day last season.
Recent form: DDLWWW
Recent form (all competitions): DWLWWW
Team News
© Getty Images
Jagielka is edging ever closer to his return from a knee injury, but Martinez may opt to use one of two upcoming cup matches to ease him back into the first team.
The same is true of Steven Pienaar and Bryan Oviedo, who will be eyeing Saturday's FA Cup match with Dagenham & Redbridge as a return date.
Tyias Browning is out for the season, though, while the extent of injuries to James McCarthy (groin) and Tom Cleverley (achilles) are still unknown.
Spurs will be without rumoured Everton target Mousa Dembele after he picked up a groin strain against Watford which is expected to keep him out for most of the month.
Alex Pritchard and Clinton N'Jie are longer-term absentees, while Pochettino must decide whether to reward Vicarage Road match-winner Son Heung-min with a start.
Everton possible starting lineup:
Howard; Coleman, Stones, Funes Mori, Baines; Barkley, Barry, Deulofeu, Naismith, Kone; Lukaku
Tottenham possible starting lineup:
Lloris; Walker, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Davies; Dier, Carroll, Lamela, Alli, Eriksen; Kane
Head To Head
Despite these two being among the top scorers in the league this season, neither could break the deadlock when they met at White Hart Lane in August as they played out a goalless draw.
That was the fourth time in the last five meetings that Everton have failed to score against Spurs, while the North Londoners are unbeaten in their last six against the Toffees (D3 L3).
The corresponding fixture last term came on the final day of the season, with Kane scoring the only goal of the game to hand Spurs the points at Goodison.
We say: Everton 2-2 Tottenham
These two sides have drawn eight games apiece this season - no team in the Premier League has shared the spoils on more occasions - so it only makes sense for the points to be split again on Sunday. Everton certainly have the goals to endanger Tottenham's league-best defensive record, but they haven't shown many signs of being able to keep Kane and co at bay. Expect a high-scoring affair to end honours even.
No Data Analysis info
