After back-to-back victories -- an away win at Newcastle and finally getting a home win in 2026 against Burnley -- Everton jetted out to Portugal, with manager David Moyes looking for warmer weather to allow the team to reset.
For once, however, the recalibration wasn't due to an overwhelming season centered around a relegation battle, as the Toffees find themselves looking up the table rather than down it for the first time in several seasons.
Still, a chance to get away from home to focus on the task to come is never a bad idea, especially if the weather cooperates, allowing for a little sun that doesn't often characterize Liverpool this time of year.
The Premier League season is nearing its end, with only nine matches remaining until the end of the campaign for Everton, who find themselves sitting in 8th heading into Matchday 30, just a point behind Brenford and give off their city neighbors.
And while the European pipe dream seems to be just that, it does give the squad something to fight for over the next two months, even if the level of competition is going to make that effort rather difficult.
Take the rest of March, for example.
While they only play three matches in the month (including the win over Burnley), Moyes' side will travel to league leaders Arsenal on Saturday and then host Chelsea at Hill Dickinson the following weekend before the international break.
Everton finish the season away to Brentford (a sneaky difficult fixture), the first ever Merseyside derby at Hill Dickinson, travel to West Ham, home against Manchester City, head back to London to face Crystal Palace, cap off the home campaign against Sunderland, before a third trip to London to play Spurs on the final day.
There are opportunities for points there, particularly given the team's away form, with West Ham, Palace, and even Tottenham (who may be desperate for points) standing as the best chance for results.
The hope is that getting the squad away, even if it's only for a few days, can get the team focused on the task at hand.
Europe may be unlikely given the difficulty of the fixtures moving forward and the quality of the teams around them also fighting for the spots, but that doesn't mean Everton shouldn't have something to aim for.
That's especially true for a squad that isn't used to being safe this early in the season after recent years. Maybe Europe is still a season away, but it's nice to have something else to fight for at this juncture that isn't avoiding relegation.