Relegation-battling Everton host top-four chasing Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park.
Victory will see Everton stay 15th in the table unless Crystal Palace beat Southampton by a two-goal margin or more.
Forest can go second without a win.
Team News
Ashley Young is available for Everton after he missed their 1-1 draw at Manchester City, due to suspension.
Seamus Coleman, Iliman Ndiaye (both calf) and Dwight McNeil (knee) are doubts and face late fitness checks.
James Garner (back) and Tim Iroegbunam (foot) remain absent.
Forest will welcome Nicolas Dominguez back from an one-match ban which saw him miss their home win over Tottenham, in which Ryan Yates picked up his fifth booking and misses this game.
Ibrahim Sangare (hamstring) and Danilo (ankle) remain sidelined.
When is Kick-Off?
Everton host Forest at Goodison Park on Sunday 29 December at 3pm GMT, untelevised live in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Everton have lost one of their last five meetings against Forest (W2, D2, L1).
- Forest have won one of their last five visits to Everton (W1, D1, L3).
- Everton’s Dwight McNeil scored in both appearances against Forest last season.
- Sean Dyche’s Toffees have kept clean sheets in their last three home games (W1, D2).
- Forest’s Anthony Elanga is looking to score in four consecutive games for the first time in his senior career.
Prediction
With clean sheets in five of their last seven matches – including their last three home games, Everton now need to start finding goals and wins if want to move away from the relegation fight after a gutsy draw at Man City.
Forest have a great chance to go second if they can continue to play their counter-attacking style, although I did feel that their end product was wasteful against Spurs despite a clinical winner and superb attacking transitions.
In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if Forest opt to let Everton dominate then hit them on the counter-attack, but Jordan Pickford will be a difficult nut for the visitors to get past on the counter so this could well end in a draw.
Prediction: Everton 1-1 Nottingham Forest
Result: Everton 0-2 Nottingham Forest
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