After a tough match on Monday that saw Everton well beaten by Chelsea at Stamford Bridge the Toffees face a difficult game at home to Burnley on Saturday where they need to claim the points.
On paper the two teams are very much unequal. Everton are sitting sixth but despite that defeat at Chelsea the Blues are still only four points off the Champions League places.
Their visitors are having another difficult season although not an unexpected one. Under the bluff but astute management of Sean Dyche they know what the limits of their ambition is likely to be and as long as they stay up each year that is ultimately success.
The Clarets haven’t won in five matches in the Premier League although they have drawn four of those games. Dyche’s sides are always well organised and hard working making the most of their limited playing resources.
For a team that is built on being solid and not conceding, it’s not surprising that his best perfomers are defenders. And as usual they have been an awkward and tough opponent at times.
And while Burnley haven’t scored many goals, they come to Goodison Park with a similar sort of record to that of Newcastle United or Fulham, both of whom then won comfortably at the grand old lady.
Everton did beat Southampton to end that poor run in their last home match but they need to show that wasn’t a flash in the pan.
And they obviously need the points to keep in touch with their rivals for Europe. Winning on Saturday is even more important because not only did the Toffees lose to their closest competitor for the top four, but West Ham also won that night putting distance between them and the Blues.
So Everton need to take this match very seriously as they have failed to turn up for these games on far too many occasions this campaign.
But as well as this direct need for the win, the players also have to show that they have learnt from those awful performances and losses at home this season to teams they should be beating.
Everton have been very Jekel and Hyde this campaign and in complete contrast to past seasons, they are regularly dropping points at home but producing some excellent performances away.
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As I’ve said before those frustrating defeats at home might prove decisive in the whether the Blues can secure European football at the end of the season.
As for who Carlo Ancelotti will pick on Saturday, again injuries will play a key role.
He was missing his star forward James Rodriguez at Chelsea and several others but most importantly the injury revealed just before the match to Abdoulaye Doucoure is surely going to prove the most significant and difficult to resolve.
With Doucoure now out until at least the end of March, Ancelotti has a hard decision to make as to how he should re-shuffle his midfield to cope without his dynamic French workhorse.
If the obvious replacement Tom Davies isn’t fit, one solution would be to move either Mason Holgate or Ben Godfrey into midfield as both can play there and have done so in the past.
To do that though he will need Seamus Coleman to be fully fit again to switch Holgate or Yerry Mina to return alongside Micheal Keane so he could move Godfrey.
Whatever he decides to do he needs to get it right on Saturday as Everton must claim all three points to keep a European challenge alive and continue to reverse recent under-par home performances.