Preview: Everton vs. Leicester City

Everton manager Roberto Martinez will be hopeful that his side's display in the Europa League on Thursday night can kick-start a positive run until the end of the season.

An inconsistent six months has put Everton in 12th place in the Premier League standings, but the Toffees have one foot in the last 16 of the Europa League after they returned home from Switzerland with a 4-1 victory over Young Boys.

Striker Romelu Lukaku netted a hat-trick during the game to ease tensions between himself and supporters after he openly admitted that he would like to join a bigger club in the future.

Midfielder Gareth Barry serves a one-match ban, but Martinez welcomes back Leighton Baines from injury and Aaron Lennon, who can't feature in Europe due to his previous participation with Tottenham Hotspur.

Leicester City make the trip to Merseyside having suffered four successive defeats in all competitions to heap the pressure on manager Nigel Pearson.

The Foxes have earned plaudits for several impressive results since the turn of the year, but they are now five points adrift of safety and out of the FA Cup after losing to Aston Villa.

Pearson earned a reprieve earlier in the season, but it remains to be seen whether that would be the case should his team fall more than a two-win margin away from avoiding the drop.

On-loan defender Robert Huth should return to the starting lineup, while Leonardo Ulloa is pushing for a start in attack.

Everton:

Form in Premier League: LDDWDL Form in all competitions: DDWDLW

Possible starting lineup: Howard; Coleman, Jagielka, Stones, Baines; McCarthy, Besic; Mirallas, Barkley, Lennon; Lukaku

Leicester City:

Form in Premier League: DWLLLL Form in all competitions: LWLLLL

Possible starting lineup: Schwarzer; Simpson, Huth, Morgan, Upson; Konchesky, Mahrez, Cambiasso, James, Schlupp; Kramaric

Sports Mole says: 2-1