Everton were lucky, very lucky, not to have conceded four goals against West Ham last Saturday; a repeat of that depressing defeat at the hands of West Brom which would have set the alarm bells jangling and the Goodison hierarchy into crisis mode. A first half Frederic Piquionne header which kissed the base of one post and rolled tantalizingly across the goal and a delicious Zavon Hines lobbed shot which just cleared the bar, with Howard beaten all ends up, could so easily have killed off any chance of recovery and sent the Toffees in for their half-time tea and ‘chat’ with David Moyes three goals down. Observers have...

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Now here’s a trick; beat title challengers Manchester City away and then follow that by winning against sixteenth placed Birmingham City at home. Simple enough it might seem but this has been precisely the problem for Everton all season – clear Becher’s Brook one minute only to stumble over a sod the next. David Moyes is not short of options as he considers team selection; Mikel Arteta is rested and available again after completing his three match ban; Steven Pienaar has a “chance” of being fit; Leon Osman is back and played well for 75 minutes against City. These pluses are balanced by the injury to Phil Jagielka’s thigh,...

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