Fulham's Aaron Hughes believes December could be a defining month in the Barclays
Premier League calendar for his side.
Hughes is well aware that the west London club need to bring back three points from
their visit to Merseyside, but he has one eye on the festive period which, he says,
could set them up for a good second half to the season.
Hughes declared: ``Christmas is always a busy period with a lot of games squeezed
into a very short space of time, but if you can get some positive results over the
Christmas period it sets you up nicely going into the second half of the season.''
Meanwhile boss Lawrie Sanchez is set to freshen up his squad during next month's
transfer window.
Sanchez will continue his squad development with further signings as he looks to
spend the remainder the transfer kitty he has left from the summer.
Sanchez said: ``We've discussed the transfer budget and the areas we'd like to improve.
``We'd like to freshen up the team and the budget was always there after the summer
and a figure set. We spoken about it the other day and we're looking forward to
doing some business in the window.''
Fulham midfielder Alexey Smertin will miss tomorrow's Barclays Premiership clash
with Everton because of a muscle problem.
German full-back Moritz Volz is one match away from being available as he continue
to build up his fitness following shoulder, groin and foot problems.
Phillipe Christanval (knee), Kasey Keller (bicep), Lee Cook (knee), Ian Pearce (calf),
Brian McBride (knee) and Jimmy Bullard (knee) are still sidelined.
For all of Everton's success recently in cup competitions, boss David Moyes readily
admits that his priority is the Barclays Premier League.
They may be basking in the glory of Wednesday's UEFA Cup triumph over new Russian
champions Zenit St Petersburg which assures them a seeded place in the last 32,
but the bread and butter of the league still concerns Moyes more.
The Everton chief said: ``To maintain our qualification for European competitions,
we have to do that through our league position. So if there was a priority now between
league and cups, the league would be more important to me.''
Everton are unbeaten in five league games, but they still find themselves only in
ninth spot, and Moyes knows he must finish in the top six to confirm European involvement
next season.
And with struggling Fulham the visitors tomorrow to Goodison Park, Moyes knows there
can be no slip-ups in the chase to overhaul Portsmouth, Aston Villa and Blackburn
who are the three clubs immediately ahead of Everton in the table.
The Toffees manager believes this season's Premier League has become the toughest
and most competitive in years, making his job even harder.
He added: ``I have been saying for a few weeks that it will be as hard to get into
the top 10 of the Premier League this year as maybe it has been to get into the
top four in the past.
``Blackburn, Villa, West Ham, Portsmouth, Everton and Manchester City are all doing
well, so it will be really tough.
``A lot of it has to do with money. A lot of those clubs have big investors and
backers which helps to raise standards.
``We have bought big by our standards, but in the main we are one of the sides that
does not have that. We always try and compete and I think we have done in the last
three or four seasons.
``You can go and throw your money at it like some clubs have done, but we have done
it differently.
``We have tried to build year by year, but as you can see by the sackings going
about at the moment a lot of clubs do not allow that to happen.''
Everton have Alan Stubbs as a definite non-starter with a calf problem, while Joseph
Yobo missed the Zenit match with an ankle problem and is still doubtful.
Everton are fighting to get defender Joseph Yobo fit after he missed the midweek
UEFA Cup success over Zenit St Petersburg with an ankle injury.
Veteran Alan Stubbs is out with a calf injury, so Phil Jagielka played alongside
Joleon Lescott against the Russians in the heart of defence and could be asked to
do so again against Fulham.