Matt Townsend

Everton have dropped twelve points in their last five Premier League matches with a draw at Brentford, then defeats to Liverpool and West Ham United, followed by the six-goal thriller against Manchester City, and now another 2-2 draw at Palace.

While Everton have made significant progress during this Premier League campaign, major questions remain about the team, and these were exposed badly in Sunday's defeat to Sunderland

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At one point late last season, Everton looked very much on course for a European place as they seemed to be coming into their best form at exactly the right time.

Like every Premier League side, Everton will be keeping a close eye on players during this World Cup, and no doubt many of those footballers will be moving clubs by the end of the competition.

This story has come right out of the blue, with very few having surely ever entertained the idea that the Everton manager could end up taking over his country's team.

Such a transfer could, in theory, facilitate a move in this window by Everton for Chelsea's young striker Liam Delap, who the Blues, of course, tried to sign last year.

Everton managers have been plagued for so long with the problem of who should succeed the team's long-standing right-back Seamus Coleman, that it seems to be becoming an almost insurmountable issue.

There have been rumours building for some time that Everton will lose their most exciting attacking talent, with the former Marseille player failing to agree to sign a contract extension offered to him, and making cryptic remarks about wanting to play at a higher level.

Everton have moved to bring in the 32-year-old ball winner because of the recent departure of long-time stalwart Idrissa Gueye.