After four wins in five league outings, David Moyes could be tempted to have a go at hosts Chelsea this afternoon.
Everton’s points yield of 1.43 per game on the road is the eighth best in the top flight – and up from 1.26 last season.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, a world champion with Chelsea, has had a growing influence at Everton, finding the net on four occasions, recording three assists and delivering set-plays.
Largely stripped of defensive duties, Jack Grealish stays high, winning the free kicks that are a major weapon in the Toffees’ armoury, while left-back Vitaliy Mykolenko delivers long throws.
Beto is pushing for starts, and having seen Leeds’ success against the Blues by playing long with two forwards, Moyes may ask him to partner Thierno Barry, who is finally off the mark after last weekend’s goal.
Although he is scoreless in five league matches, crowd favourite and leading scorer Iliman Ndiaye has also shown some tidy form before competing at the Africa Cup of Nations.
However, only the bottom four Premier League clubs have scored fewer goals this season than the Toffees’ 18.
So the Scots’ defence-first instincts may rule out a more attacking approach, especially as anchor midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye is briefly back from his ban for violent conduct prior to spending the next month in Morocco.
Moreover, the Merseysiders’ wins have actually been founded on stoical clean sheets (50 per cent of home games, 29 per cent away), height and strength in their rearguard, a block midfield to shield through-passes and urgency in the final third.
Barry will be assessed for a damaged shoulder and Jarrad Branthwaite, Seamus Coleman and Merlin Rohl are sidelined but Gueye and Tim Iroegbunham are back from suspension.