Everton and Crystal Palace will want to stay within touching distance of fourth spot with victory in their English Premier League game at Goodison Park on Monday.
Having watched most of the European places contenders drop points at the weekend, Everton and Crystal Palace have an opportunity to stake their claim with victory.
The Toffees are currently just out of the top ten in 11th with 21 points, but a win on Monday will take them all the way up to sixth, and above Palace, who are on 22 points.
"December is the most significant month in terms of competing for 15 points in such a short period of time," Everton manager Roberto Martinez told the club's official website.
"That's the focus we have as a football club. The fans have been enjoying the style that we have been playing but we will never stop wanting to improve, to get better and promoting that competition for places.
"That way we can be an exciting team to watch but also one that can win consistently."
Everton are on a high after reaching the semifinals of the Capital One Cup with a 2-0 win over Middlesbrough, but the focus will now only be on the Premier League.
"I think we are in a good moment not only for the forwards but for every position on the team," Martinez added. "We are playing well as a team and we have to keep doing that.
"The mentality of the team is down to the manager first and foremost, and after that it's how we are as a group. We want to work hard for each other.
"A season is a long time in football and you can have problems along the way, like injuries, but for us we just focus on each big game as it comes."
Palace, though, are also a confident team at the moment, with plenty of attacking verve, as Newcastle United, the team that beat Liverpool on Sunday, found out to their detriment last weekend, when Alan Pardew's men put five goals past them.
Team news: Everton: James McCarthy is a doubt, and the midfielder will take a late fitness test. Leighton Baines made his much-awaited return from injury in the midweek win, but Martinez is unlikely to risk the left-back on Monday.
Crystal Palace: Bakary Sako is ruled out, while Wilfried Zaha will also not be available owing to suspension after picking up a fifth yellow card. Strikers Marouane Chamakh and Dwight Gayle, though, has been deemed fit and will travel with the squad to Merseyside.
Where to Watch Live
Everton vs Crystal Palace is scheduled for an 8 pm local time (1.30 am IST, 4 am ET) start. Live TV coverage of the English Premier League match in India will be on Star Sports 4 and HD4, while all the Premier League action can be watched via live streaming online on Starsports.com and Hotstar.
Sky Sports 1 will broadcast the Premier League match live in the UK, while the action between Crystal Palace and Everton can also be live streamed online on Watch Sky Sports.
Watch the EPL game live in the US on NBCSN, with the live stream option on NBC Sports Live Extra. Canada viewers can watch Everton vs Crystal Palace live on Sportsnet, with the live stream option on Sportsnet World Online.
Australia viewers can catch the EPL action live on Fox Sports, while the online live streaming options are on Fox Sports EPL On Demand and Foxtel Play.
Viewers in the Middle East and North Africa can watch the EPL match live on Bein Sports Arabia and Bein Sports Connect.
