Everton are back in action on Sunday with a game at Goodison Park against another in-form side in Nottingham Forest.
It has been a real challenging December for Everton with their fixture list for the month perhaps the most difficult of any side.
Sean Dyche’s side have, however, turned their form around having now gone four games unbeaten in the Premier League.
The Friedkin Group attended Everton’s draw against Chelsea earlier in the month and saw another draw against Manchester City on Boxing Day.
And they will be facing a Forest side who come into this weekend sitting all the way up in third spot after beating Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday.
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Everton expected to surprise Nottingham Forest
Dyche is hopeful Iliman Ndiaye will return from injury to face the Reds on Sunday after suffering a calf injury on Boxing Day.
The Senegal international scored the equalising goal against Man City at the Etihad as his impressive start to life on Merseyside continues.
Following his strike on Thursday, Chris Sutton has predicted Everton to surprise a number of people against Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.
“Nottingham Forest keep on winning but, although Everton are on a run of three draws, they got them against Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, in games where everyone expected them to be beaten – including me,” he told BBC Sport.
“Everton have earned those results by being resilient but I thought Iliman Ndiaye’s equaliser against City was a superb strike. It was a goal of sheer beauty, the way he took it, and it feels like they always pose a threat.”
“I think Sean Dyche’s side will surprise a few people again here, though, and I am going for them to get another draw.”
Everton benefitted from a refereeing error against City where Vitaliy Mykolenko should have received a second yellow card.
But that is not to undermine the impressive run of form which the Toffees are going into Sunday’s game on.
Everton predicted XI vs Nottingham Forest
The Blues are coming into the game with some injury concerns on top of Ndiaye who suffered the calf issue.
Dwight McNeil is suffering a knee injury which has kept him out since the draw against Arsenal where he did not make the matchday squad.
But there is some positive news for the Toffees who will see Ashley Young return to the fold having served his one-game suspesnion.
Seamus Coleman stepped in for the 39-year-old on the weekend, but Young has been in fine form this season having earned a lot of praise.
Everton predicted XI vs Forest: Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Gueye, Mangala; Lindstrom, Doucoure, Ndiaye; Broja.
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