Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of Everton's Premier League clash with Norwich City at Goodison Park.

We can expect a close game today. Everton's form has been somewhat shaky of late but their home record remains impeccable. Norwich are on a decent run themselves, claiming some big scalps lately.

The Blues will be without influential midfielder Marouane Fellaini today with the Belgian serving a one-match ban for accumulating five yellow cards. That will be a big blow for them. He's been one of the most in-form midfielders in the top flight all season.

We'll have the full starting line-ups for you as soon as they are in.

Everton: Howard; Distin, Jagielka, Heitinga, Baines; Oviedo, Hitzlsperger, Osman, Pienaar; Naismith; Jelavic

Norwich: Ruddy; Garrido, Bassong, R Bennett, Whittaker; Johnson, Tettey; Snodgrass, Pilkington, Hoolahan; Holt

Everton subs: EFC Subs: Mucha, Duffy, Hibbert, Gueye, Barkley, Vellios, Kennedy

And on the Norwich bench: Bunn, L.Bennett, Tierney, Howson, E. Bennett, Morison, Jackson

Everton are also without their skipper Phil Neville who recently underwent knee surgery. Tony Hibbert passed a late fitness test to take up a spot on the bench, but Victor Anichebe looks like he failed his.

Norwich's keeper John Ruddy visits his former club today. I'm sure he'll receive a ruddy good reception from the Goodison Park faithful.

Grant Holt is one to watch for them today. He scored against the Toffees in both league games last season.

Some pre-match comments coming up from both managers...

David Moyes: "Goodison is a great place to play and that’s why it’s important the supporters are there and make the difference. Against Sunderland in the last home game, we got to 1-1 and then we scored our next goal three or four minutes after. I thought that was because of the crowd’s enthusiasm. They realised the team were right at it and they knew that we hadn’t played that badly. It looked like a game that was going against us, so we will need that support again now we have got two games at home."

Chris Hughton: "When I came here in the summer I was made aware that funds would be made available but what I was very conscious of is that we have a very good squad already. I have good players and it was just trying to get the right balances so I was keen to do that. I have been delighted with the input of the lads we brought in. It is never easy to integrate into a new squad and credit must go to the ones who were already here."

Thanks to Eurosport for those quotes.

Today's odds: Everton 1/2, Norwich 6/1, Draw 3/1

So Everton are the clear favourites, but I expect this will be a close game when recent form is taken into account.

Granted, Everton have been exceptional at home this season but Norwich have beaten the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur in recent weeks. They are not to be written off, even though they have failed to defeat the Blues in their last eight attempts across all competitions.

I think if one side is going to edge it, it's going to be Everton, but I'm tempted to say this will be a score draw. How's that for sitting on the fence?

I think frustration could begin to set in among the Everton faithful if they fail to beat Norwich today. They have become draw specialists of late, plus there was that disappointing 2-1 defeat to Reading last weekend.

Despite the Canaries' resurgent home form, they continue to struggle on the road, winning just one of their last 12 away matches. Still, I've a feeling this could be one of those games that tears up the form book.

Some additional pre-match comments from Moyes: "We'll have our work cut out and it will be another tough game. We might have to be patient and wait. We will need the crowd to think that way as well.

"We've told the players to keep doing what they are doing, convert more of our opportunities into chances and more of our chances into goals."

Another Everton man to watch today is Bryan Oviedo. He has been chosen to fill the void in the midfield with Fellaini absent. That's a big responsibility and a great opportunity for him to show Moyes what he can do.

Just over five minutes to go before kickoff. Everton can close the gap between themselves and fourth-placed Chelsea to one point with a win today.

The match gets under way!

Shot! An early chance falls to Everton as Norwich give the ball away. It falls kindly for Naismith, who lines up Osman, but the midfielder shot narrowly wide.

It's been a bright start for the Blues. They've put Norwich under pressure and are winning a lot of challenges.

Pienaar looks in some pain following a collision with Bassong. The South African may require treatment here, but there was no malice in the challenge.

Pienaar has hobbled back onto the pitch after receiving treatment on the sidelines. He looks good to soldier on.

A half-chance goes begging as Jagielka whips a cross into the Norwich area and Jelavic fails to connect.

Sloppy defending from Norwich as Whittaker gives the ball away to Oviedo in a dangerous position. The Costa Rican played in a low ball to Naismith, who buried from close range.

A good finish from the Scot, who has been in impressive goalscoring form of late. Moyes will no doubt be pleased to see Oviedo claim an assist in his first league start.

Chance! Great skill from Baines as the England man powers forward and unleashes a shot. Ruddy gets a hand to it and pulls off a decent save. Osman balloons the rebound.

The Everton fans appeal for a penalty as Naismith goes down under Tetty's challenge. The Scot doesn't protest, and rightly so. That was a good tackle by the Norwich man.

Everton are well deserving of that lead. We've seen very little of Norwich up front up to now, but they've dealt with much of what Everton have thrown at them.

Chance! Norwich have their first of any note through Holt. He has the strength to shrug off three challenges, but fails to test Howard in the Everton goal.

Oviedo and Naimsmith play a neat one two before the latter finds Pienaar. The South African finds Jelavic with a lofted pass, but the Croatian is caught offside.

Shot! Osman has another effort on goal after picking up Oviedo's cross from the left. The midfielder directs his strike straight at Ruddy, who makes the catch.

Naismith is inches after from connecting with Jelavic's deft through ball. Ruddy rushes from his line intercepts, and almost pushes the ball back into the path of Jelavic. A let-off for Norwich there!

Hitzlsperger heads wide following an Everton corner, though the whistle had sounded for Norwich free kick. I think it was Jelavic who fouled in the area there.

Naismith is hard done by not to win a free kick as Bassong climbs all over him. Both the ref and the nearby linesman missed that!

Norwich win a corner as Pienaar thumps Tetty's cross behind.

Chance! Bassong connects with the ball and it ends up going wide. That was a glaring miss there! It came off his shoulder, but he was there in the box unmarked.

Ruddy gathers up another Osman strike at the other end. The midfielder's first touch and control was good, but he scuffed his finish.

Two minutes of stoppages time to be played.

Snodgrass wins a free kick at the expense of Baines, but the ref got that wrong. It looked like Baines who was fouled to me! Norwich squander the set piece, though.

The Blues go into the break at half-time and deservedly so. They've created much more than the visitors and dominated the midfield. A second goal would surely kill off this contest.

A win is essential for the Blues today. They have a tough run of games coming up, with Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham fixtures coming up.

Beating the sides in the bottom half of the table is imperative for a team looking to assert themselves in the top four or five.

If you've just joined us, you can get yourself up to speed with all the action from the first period here.

The teams are back out onto the pitch and the second half is about to commence.

And we're back under way.

Ruddy plays a long goal kick to Holt near to the Everton area. The Norwich striker wins a free kick at the expense of Heitinga.

Norwich waste the set piece as Snodgrass's effort is block and Tettey skies the rebound.

Holt goes down under Distin's challenge, making a meal of it. There wasn't much contact there that I could see.

Holt and Distin are involved in another tussle, but the ref rules in the Everton defender's favour this time. Holt was all over him.

It's been a scrappy start to the second half. Norwich have win another free kick in a dangerous possession as Heitinga is penalised for another foul.

Shot! Pilkington hits one directly from the free kick, forcing Howard to parry the ball away. Everton clear the danger.

Chance! Holt almost latches onto a long pass for a one-on-one with Howard, but the American shot-stopper is first to the ball. A let-off for the Blues there.

Chance! Ruddy smothers Distin's header from Hitzlsperger's cross. The Frenchman almost got onto the end of a long Baines cross moments early too.

Everton are in desperate need of a second goal. Norwich have edged the second half so far. Moyes will be furious if his side squander another lead!

Shot! Jelavic blazes the ball over after picking up Hitzlsperger's corner. He appeals for another corner, claiming his strike took a deflection on the way. I'm not sure he had a case there.

Everton survive intense pressure at the other end as Pilkington plays the ball in to Holt. The striker's effort is deflected away, but the flag goes up for offside.

Johnson is yellow carded for flattening Oviedo. Correct decision by the referee.

Chance! Heitinga comes to Everton's rescue, hacking Snodgrass's strike off the line! It was a good move by Norwich, who look like they could nick an equaliser here.

I think Moyes needs to make a chance here. A fresh face could help revitalise Everton, who look like they are flagging.

Shot! Oviedo cuts inside and strikes from outside the box. His effort bobbles along the damn surface before Ruddy gathers.

Chance! Fantastic play from Baines. He surges forward, gets beyond the Norwich defence and tests Ruddy with a good effort! That's why he's in the England side!

Norwich sub: Morrison on for Hoolahan.

Norwich keeper Ruddy looks to be in some discomfort. He was unable to take a goal kick a moment ago, and is struggling. Will he be able to continue?

Nope! He's forced off with a knee injury. On comes reserve keeper Mark Bunn.

Chance! Wasteful from Naismith! He was clean through with Jelavic approaching unmarked, but his delivery is terrible! The ball goes out for a Norwich goal kick.

Chance! Pilkington jumps up hight and heads towards goal, forcing the save from Howard. That could have crept in!

Nervy football from Everton here. Can they withstand the pressure for the remaining four minutes of this game?

Garrido is booked for a foul on Oviedo. Baines steps up to take the free kick in a good position.

Tettey is booked for defending the free kick over-zealously. He overstepped his mark there and deserved the booking. Baines hits the free kick over.

Norwich sub: Jackson on for Snodgrass as Norwich throw three up front in the hope of snatching an equaliser.

Oh my word! Norwich have stolen an equaliser in the final minute! Bassong gets his head to a long free kick and the ball creeps over the line! Moyes is furious!

We're into the second of four minutes of injury time and Vellios has come on for Everton in place of Naismith.

For the record, Moyes has every right to be annoyed. Norwich's free kick was very controversial. It was given for a Baines foul on Morrison that could really have gone either way.

So the game ends in a draw thanks to a somewhat controversial equaliser. Everton will feel that was two points dropped, but Norwich were the stronger in the second half.

You can read our full report on the 90 minutes here.

That's all from me here today. Many thanks for joining us at Goodison Park.