Everton risk being drawn into a relegation scrap ahead of their home clash with high-flying Tottenham.
The Toffees have established themselves as regular qualifiers for European competition in recent years but they have made a disappointing start to the new campaign and are hovering perilously just above the relegation zone, with 15 points from 14 matches
In their last six outings, the Toffees have won only one and drawn three, having scored six and conceded an alarming 7 goals in these games.
David Moyes' plans have been thrown into turmoil by an injury curse that shows no sign of relenting, with three more players struck down in the midweek Europa League match against AEK Athens.
Centre-back Sylvain Distin and midfielder Dan Gosling both sustained hamstring injuries in the midweek Europa League victory over AEK Athens with Distin a major doubt.
Brazilian striker Jo also picked up a minor knee injury in Greece but he is expected to recover in time.
Joseph Yobo missed the European clash with a hamstring problem and is unlikely to feature while fellow defender Johnny Heitinga serves a one-match suspension after receiving his fifth booking of the season in last week's Merseyside derby defeat.
However, Spurs have dropped just two points from a possible 21 against teams in the bottom half of the table.
They will fancy their chances of a goal or two despite failing to score in midweek as they’ve netted 12 times in the last three league games while Everton have kept just one clean-sheet at home all season.
Although Spurs don’t have the best of recent records against Everton, as the Toffees are unbeaten in their last four league meetings home and away (2 wins) against this weekend’s opponents, Harry’s side beat Everton relatively comfortably at White Hart Lane in the Carling Cup this season.
So if Spurs are going to break the big four monopoly this season then this is the sort of match they must be winning as a record of one win in their last 5 away is not overly impressive.
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp will be without Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate. King has been troubled by a hamstring injury and Woodgate is struggling to shake off a groin complaint, and they join Luka Modric on the sidelines.
Niko Kranjcar is back after being cup-tied for the midweek Carling Cup defeat at Manchester United.
REVIEW:
Tim Howard's injury time penalty save earned Everton a point in a pulsating 2-2 draw with Tottenham, with David Moyes' side battling back from two goals down in the second half.
Jermain Defoe missed an injury-time penalty in this thrilling draw. Defoe put Tottenham ahead when he turned in Aaron Lennon's whipped cross (47) before Michael Dawson headed in Niko Kranjcar's corner (59). Substitute Louis Saha guided home Seamus Coleman's cross (78) before Tim Cahill headed in from close range (86), and Tim Howard then saved Defoe's spot-kick after Tony Hibbert's foul.
In a pleasingly open game, Spurs were next to threaten as Lennon slipped a ball through for Crouch, but the former Liverpool man blazed his strike over, much to the delight of the Gwladys Street End.
Defoe got his first sight of goal moments later, released by Tom Huddlestone after Crouch's adroit chest pass. But the England striker's left foot strike from the edge of the box was straight at Tim Howard, who saved with his legs.
Everton's woes worsened just 14 minutes in, with Yobo - who was a doubt for the game with a hamstring injury - forced off, to be replaced by rookie full-back Seamus Coleman, who was making his home league debut.
Jack Rodwell, back after a groin strain, was then booked by referee Andre Marriner for a late tackle on Niko Kranjcar despite appearing to get the ball first.
On-loan Manchester City striker Jo continues frustrate Everton fans and he showed why within the space of a couple of minutes midway through the half.
First he fired a low snap-shot from the left of the penalty area just past the far post before inexplicably getting his legs in a tangle six yards out and bundling wide Steven Pienaar's perfect cross.
Everton continued to give it their all, however, and Dawson was booked for bringing down Cahill before Leighton Baines curled in a free-kick which had Heurelho Gomes diving to his left.
But Defoe remained a danger and when Wilson Palacios and Kranjcar combined through the inside-right channel the striker whipped a shot inches outside the far post.
With the game heating up, Benoit Assou-Ekotto and Marouane Fellaini went nose-to-nose after a tangle in midfield, and Hibbert had to make a superb last-ditch tackle to deny Defoe, as Spurs' superior passing looked likely to open up Everton. But, after a couple of moments of indecision from Howard went unpunished, the first-half ended scoreless.
Tottenham sent on young Welshman Gareth Bale for the second half, replacing the frankly awful Assou-Ekotto, and it was not long before his side had resumed their supremacy.
Only shrewd covering from young Coleman denied Jermain Defoe a clear sight of goal within a minute of the restart, but there was no such luck seconds later as Lennon's beautiful right wing cross was met by Spurs' top scorer six yards out, and the ball flew off his left foot past Howard, and into the roof of the net.
It could have been worse soon after, as Crouch and Defoe linked up in the penalty area, forcing Howard into a fine fingertip save to deny the former-Liverpool man.
But it was only a temporary reprieve for the home side, as Spurs picked up a second on 58 minutes.Kranjcar provided the whipped corner from the right, and Michael Dawson outmuscled Neill at the far post to meet it with a flying header for 2-0.
With 13 minutes to go Crouch's left-footed shot beat Howard but also the far post before Everton got themselves back in the game.
Coleman drove towards the byline before crossing to Saha who fired high into the net.
Diniyar Bilyaletdinov and Saha, with an overhead kick, both went close late on before Cahill equalised with a low header from Baines' cross four minutes from time.
Two minutes into added time Hibbert's challenge on Palacios earned Tottenham a penalty but Defoe blasted straight at Howard.