Afternoon everybody! Four 3pm kickoffs this week in the Premier League and here we'll be focussing on the match at Goodison Park between Everton and Southampton.

Click here to see the latest Premier League table, with Everton 12th and Southampton seventh and 10 points between the two. It's fair to say that it has been such a disappointing campaign for Everton, while Southampton have done well to not drop too far off the form they showed in their top-four charge last term.

So much was expected of Everton this season with bright young stars like John Stones, Ross Barkley and Romelu Lukaku and although they have shown flashes of brilliance, the consistency and results have not been there. Everton are behind Bournemouth, in their first-ever Premier League season, in the table and in the last couple of the months the supporters have lost their patience with Martinez.

Everton have won none of their last five matches in the top flight to slump into the bottom half, drawing the last two at Watford (1-1) and Crystal Palace (0-0) to reach the 40-point mark. A win would have been expected in at least one of those trips, but it is at home where the Toffees have disappointed most this season.

Martinez's men have won just one of their last eight home matches in the Premier League, losing the last three. Defensively they have been so poor, with only doomed Aston Villa conceding more than Everton's 28 in front of their own fans this season.

A much-improved performance is needed today in what is probably the biggest week of the club's season. After this they go to Liverpool for the Merseyside derby on Wednesday before a trip to Wembley next Saturday to face Manchester United in the FA Cup semi-finals. The Toffees have not won a trophy for over 20 years, so the importance of that game cannot be played down.

In total, there have been 95 goals in Premier League matches involving Everton. That's more than any other team, even with just two in total in their last two at Watford and Palace.

Part of the reason for that is the form of Romelu Lukaku. The young Belgian striker continues to attract interest and he has a good record against Southampton having scored four goals in six Premier League games against them. He has also scored an own goal for the Saints!

Although Lukaku has impressed many times this season – scoring eight games in a row at one point – his form has been inconsistent recently. Back in August when these two last met Lukaku was at his brilliant best, scoring a first-half brace as Everton impressively won 3-0 at St Mary's.

H2H: That win was Everton's second in a row against the Saints and they should be confident of making it three on the bounce today given Southampton's record at Goodison – the South coast side have not won on any of their last 10 Premier League visits (D2, L8).

But the Ronald Koeman's side come into this match having won three of their last four matches, only losing to league leaders Leicester in that time. Last week they saw off struggling Newcastle United 3-1 at home to reach 50 points for the season – six fewer than they had at this stage a year ago.

The Saints are only three points behind Manchester United in fifth, but most of the teams around them do have a game in hand, so a Europa League finish is probably the best they can hope for this season.

Their form is good, but Southampton's defence has not been what it was last season. They were so solid at the back in Koeman's first season in charge and although they have only let in 34 goals in 33 games this term, they have failed to keep a clean sheet in seven matches.

Twenty minutes until we get started at Goodison, so how about some team news? Go on then...

EVERTON XI: Robles; Oviedo, Stones, Funes Mori, Coleman; Osman, Gibson; Besic, Mirallas, Deulofeu; Kone
Subs: Howard, Lukaku, Niasse, Barkley, Pienaar, Connolly, Davies

SOUTHAMPTON XI: Forster, Clasie, Fonte, Long, Mane, Tadic, Wanyama, Martina, Van Dijk, Pelle, Bertrand
Subs: Stekelenburg, Cedric, Yoshida, Davis, Rodriguez, Romeu, Ward-Prowse

Martinez is under fire and he's made a load of changes from Wednesday night's drab goalless draw at Palace. Arouna Kone leads the line as Mohamed Besic, Kevin Mirallas and Gerard Deulofeu also come in. Lukaku and Ross Barkley have both passed late fitness tests but drop to the bench, while Aaron Lennon misses out with a knock. In midfield, Leon Osman and Darron Gibson start as James McCarthy has to sit out after his red card in midweek.

As for Southampton, Koeman has gone with the same XI that saw off Newcastle a week ago.

Everton's injury and suspension problems mean that there are two new faces in the matchday squad today – Callum Connolly and Tom Davies. Here's a profile on the latter:

It will be interesting to see how this much-changed Everton side play today. If they pull off a brilliant display then Martinez might have some interesting selection decisions to make in Wednesday's Merseyside derby.

PREDICTION: Here we go then! The two teams are out and both in their home colours today. Can see this one being pretty tight, so I'll sit on the fence and say 1-1.

KICKOFF! Lovely day on Merseyside and it's Everton who get us underway.

Good start by Everton here. Osman has just played over a cross from the left that almost reached Deulofeu at the back post, with Bertrand clearing it away hastily at the last second.

Saints keeper Forster is usually so reliable but he's just had a dodgy moment by dropping a cross and then gathering at the second attempt. Could have gone very wrong there.

Quiet few minutes as both sides continue to feel each other out. Everton enjoying about 72% possession so far.

Everton stopper Joel called into action for the first time as Martina's cross almost dips under the bar. Joel probably could have let it go, but decided to tip it over to be safe.

SHOT! First real chance for Everton as Deulofeu cuts the ball back to opposite winger Mirallas from the right. The Belgian strikes it well, but it's straight at Fonte who stands stall and makes a block.

Two openings in a minute for Southampton. First Tadic could not keep his shot down on the stretch and then Long wildly volleyed over from a tight angle.

Awwwwwww

Another shot from Tadic, this time from about 20 yards, that is drilled low and hard straight at Joel.

Everton started OK, seeing plenty of the ball, but Southampton have had four shots to Everton's one. The longer this game goes on, the more restless the Goodison crowd will get.

Here's the Saints' man in form. Pelle has been directly involved in seven of Southampton's last eight league goals (four goals, three assists).

Still we wait for our first real chance at Goodison. Southampton have probably just edged it so far, but it's not been a great game.

SOUTHAMPTON SUB: Bad news for the visitors here as domineering centre-back Fonte is forced off with an injury and replaced by Yoshida.

CLOSE! Closest we've come to a goal as Mane takes the ball in his stride and then shoots low towards the near post. It looks like it might drop in for a second, but just flies the wrong side of the upright.

BOOKING! Easy decision for referee Craig Pawson as Gibson completely takes out Long as the Saints striker looked to break away. Really bad tackle.

SAVE! It's Bertrand, not Tadic, who takes the resulting free kick and his curler over the wall is tipped wide by Joel. Might have been going wide, but the Spaniard could take no risks.

Three additional minutes here after that injury to Fonte.

OFF THE POST! So close! Bertrand's corner is met by Long and comes back off the far post.

SHOT! Saints well on top as the half draws to a close, with Van Dijk shooting over on the stretch after Bertrand's corner went all the way through to him. That's that for the first half.

No goals then at Goodison, but it's Southampton who grew and grew into the game and probably should be leading. Mane fired just wide, while Long struck the post. Everton have been below par and their performance has only worsened the glum mood among the supporters. Back soon for the second 45.

Teams back out for the second half and it's good to see that Irish international teammates Long and Gibson have just shaken hands after that nasty tackle from the latter in the first period. That was the only yellow card shown.

KICKOFF! No half-time changes as Everton get us back underway. There was one enforced substitution before the break, though, with Fonte going off and replaced by Yoshida.

OFF THE BAR! Southampton hit the woodwork for a second time! This time it's Tadic who shoots and his effort takes a deflection before coming back off the frame of the goal.

EVERTON SUB: Worrying this for Everton as Coleman is forced off with an injury. What it does mean is a senior debut for Callum Connolly.

Oh dear! Mirallas has a chance to either shoot or put a good ball in but he comically loses his balance and Martina is able to see the ball out of play.

Better from the Belgian here as he takes a 25-yard free kick and gets it on target, but it's not near enough to the corner and Forster makes an easy save.

SUBS: Both sides make a change. Barkley takes Deulofeu's place for Everton, while it's Davis for Pelle for the Saints.

They don't deserve it, but Everton lead as the ball drops kindly to Funes Mori from a corner. He fires at goal and it takes a deflection or two to help it over Forster and into the net.

SAINTS SUB: Jay Rodriguez on for his 10th Premier League appearance as Koeman makes his final change. Wanyama comes off.

It's no more than the Saints deserve, but what a scrappy goal. Tadic got into the box and somehow the ball managed to get through to Mane to slide home. Gibson, Funes Mori and Stones were all close by and failed to make a tackle. Awful defending.

Close to a complete turnaround! Funes Mori slides in to make a superb last-ditch challenge, denying Long's cutback reaching Mane for a simple tap-in. Southampton well on top now.

Into the final 10 minutes then and it's up for grabs here at Goodison. Southampton have been the better side, but we're all square at the moment.

EVERTON SUB: A second Toffees debut as 17-year-old Davies comes on for Gibson.

BOOKING! Saints frontman Rodriguez booked for reacting angrily after he was adjudged to have fouled Barkley.

Funes Mori tries to double his and Everton's total from distance, but that's high and wide.

Four minutes added on at Goodison and both teams look happy with a point. Remember my pre-match prediction? Nailed it with 1-1!

All over here and it's honours even. Both goals came in the second half, with Funes Mori opening the scoring for Everton with a deflected effort before Mane pounced on some poor Blues defending to equalise.

Southampton were the better team but not clinical enough today. They stay seventh, while Everton, now six without a win in the league, are 11th. Thanks a lot for joining SM today. See ya!