Everton: Predicting the Blues' Final 5 Games

With just five games to go, Everton find themselves in a position which they'd have been more than happy to take had you offered it to them at the start of the season.

They're sixth in the table, just four points behind Arsenal in fourth, and still very much in contention for a Champions League place.

Perhaps most important of all, they're also six points clear of Liverpool.

They look set to finish ahead of their Merseyside rivals for the second year running, but a lot could change over the course of the final five weeks of the season, especially with so much still at stake.

How will Everton get on?

Here are our predictions for the Toffees' run-in.

Sunderland

The Stadium of Light, 20th April 2013, 15:00 GMT kickoff

Countless column inches were devoted to Sunderland's controversial decision to appoint Paolo Di Canio as manager after sacking Martin O'Neill, but for the time being at least, it seems to have worked in their favour.

Last weekend's 3-0 victory in the Tyne-Wear derby over Newcastle seems to have alleviated some of the doubts surrounding the club's Premier League safety, and while they remain in a precarious position, with QPR and Reading already seemingly consigned to the drop, it seems likely they'll avoid relegation this campaign.

Everton will be keen to maintain their current run of form however, which has seen them pick up 11 points from their last five matches, and they should have enough about them to see off Sunderland, regardless of the '"Di Canio effect".

Prediction: Sunderland 1-2 Everton

Fulham

Goodison Park, 27th April 2013, 15:00 GMT kickoff

Everton's last meeting with Fulham in the EPL ended in a 2-2 draw at Craven Cottage back in November, when Steve Sidwell's last-minute goal was enough to snatch a point after Marouane Fellaini's two goals had given Everton the lead.

Everton's record against Fulham is impressive, and in fact, you have to go back to September 2009 for Fulham's last victory in the fixture.

They've won every single time they've played at Goodison Park against the Cottagers since their promotion to the top flight back 2001-02, and it's difficult to see anything other than a repeat of the same here.

Throw in the fact that Fulham have very little to play for, having long since secured their Premier League safety, and this will be a game that Everton would be deeply disappointed not to win.

Prediction: Everton 2-0 Fulham

Liverpool

Anfield, 5th May 2013, 13:30 GMT kickoff

Depending on how other results have gone, Everton might have had to bid farewell to their chances of qualifying for the Champions League by the time their trip across Stanley Park to pay Liverpool a visit comes around.

Irrespective of this, whenever these two teams meet the result is of utmost importance, and David Moyes' side will be desperate to put a halt to a slide which has seen them without a win in their last five Merseyside derbies.

Worse still, despite the relative parity between the two sides over the period, Everton have never won at Anfield since Moyes took charge, and a win for the Reds might just give them a chance of finishing ahead of their rivals.

History can be hard to shrug off. A closely fought game is to be expected as always, but I'm not sure if Everton will be able to turn things around and get their first victory away to Liverpool in almost 14 years.

Prediction: Liverpool 2-1 Everton

West Ham

Goodison Park, 12th May 2013, 15:00 GMT kickoff

Many had tipped West Ham as potential relegation candidates at the beginning of the season, but the no-nonsense style of the side under Sam Allardyce has given them enough to pick up points when it's mattered.

They currently find themselves in a rather comfortable 11th place in the table, and even if the situation could change between now and when they travel to Goodison on the penultimate day, it doesn't seem probable that they'll be drawn into a relegation scrap.

If the previous games have gone according to my predictions, then Everton will have missed out on a place in the Champions League, but they'll still be fighting for fifth place, and this game will be anything but meaningless.

They'll be keen to pick up three points before a difficult trip to Stamford Bridge on the final day, but West Ham won't make it easy for them, and I see this as an entertaining draw.

Prediction: Everton 2-2 West Ham

Chelsea

Stamford Bridge, 19th May 2013, 16:00 GMT kickoff

Exactly a year to the day from Chelsea's historic penalty shootout win over Bayern Munich in the final of the Champions League, they'll host Everton in a game where they'll be looking just to qualify for the tournament again.

It's funny how much things can change over the course of a year.

Chelsea have struggled ever since that famous night in May last year, falling at the first hurdle in their attempt to defend the trophy and never even coming close to mounting a serious title challenge in the league.

Champions League qualification is the minimum their fans will be demanding at this stage in the season, but even if Everton have fallen out of contention by this stage, it seems likely that both Arsenal and Spurs will be very much in the hunt, and it could go right down to the wire.

It's possible that Chelsea will come into this final game of the season on the back of a Europa League final midweek, should they overcome the challenge of Basel in the semifinals and irrespective of the outcome there, and midweek exertions are regularly seen to take their toll on a side come the weekend.

Prediction: Chelsea 1-1 Everton