Everton’s January fixtures by Gary McCarty 24 December, 2023 Everton have had a difficult 2023 – fighting off relegation in the 22/23 season and finishing 17th, only to start the 23/24 season poorly before a points deduction mired them to the bottom of the table. From there, they have pulled themselves up to 17th again as we head into 2024. Everton fans have kept themselves upbeat this year by following some of the best slots sites as highlighted by topslotsitesuk.com – and they have good reason to be bullish about their own team as well given the strength of character they have shown. Last week was tough for Everton as they frustratingly bowed out of the EFL Cup quarter-finals to Fulham on penalties before a sluggish start in the capital condemned them to a first top-flight loss since November. During the post-match interview with Sky Sports, Dyche rued a controversial VAR call to rule out Dominic Calvert-Lewin's goal at the beginning of the second half. However, the ex-Burnley manager has no time to dwell on the past as Manchester City arrive at Goodison Park on Wednesday, fresh off winning the Club World Cup title in Saudi Arabia. It will be Everton's last home outing of 2023 before they drop the curtain on a topsy-turvy calendar year away to Wolverhampton Wanderers on December 30. With a winter break coming in mid-January 2024, the start of the new calendar year won't be as challenging for the Toffees as the tail-end of 2023. In fact, despite being barely above the drop zone, bookmakers have consistently backed Everton to escape the drop. Everton will only play two Premier League matches in January, plus an FA Cup round-three tie against fellow bottom-half rivals Crystal Palace, and it's time to look at what's next. Article continues below video content Crystal Palace (A) – Thursday, January 4 A midweek trip to Selhurst Park to meet out-of-sorts Palace will kick off Everton's 2024 schedule. It's a seemingly presentable opportunity for Dyche's side to get the new calendar year off to a flying start, considering they've emerged victorious in their last four encounters against the Eagles. One of the Toffees' best away performances in 2023/24 came against Roy Hodgson's lads in early November, with a rampant attacking showing propelling them to a goal-glutted 3-2 victory. But the last time the two teams locked horns in the FA Cup, Everton finished on the receiving end of a 4-0 scoreline in London back in March 2022, suggesting there's no room for complacency. Aston Villa (H) – Sunday, January 14 Dyche's managerial future at Goodison was in doubt when Aston Villa took advantage of Everton's struggle earlier this season to demolish them 4-0 at Villa Park. Although the Toffees claimed their vengeance with a gutsy 2-1 win in the League Cup in September, it was hardly a consolation for the Merseyside faithful. Everton's rough patch against the Birmingham outfit in the Premier League is long-standing, with their last top-flight H2H win dating back to March 2016. Since then, they've lost seven out of nine league clashes against Unai Emery's side, including the last five on the trot via an aggregate score of 12-1, drawing the other two. On that basis, the start of the new calendar year in the Premier League promises to put Everton's' top-flight credentials to a stern test. Fulham (A) – Tuesday, January 30 Another revenge-poised showdown takes Everton to Craven Cottage towards the end of January. Dyche's side will be out to settle the score with Fulham not only for the above-mentioned League Cup fiasco but a 1-0 home defeat in the reverse fixture in August. It's been over three years since the Toffees last tasted Premier League success against the Cottagers, courtesy of a 3-2 victory at this venue in November 2020. The H2H picture has since been bleak for Everton, as evidenced by an ominous-looking three scoring blanks in four league matches against Marco Silva's team (D1, L3).