Everton are currently in the middle of a long period without a competitive match.
The Blues were last in action on Tuesday evening, with a 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux keeping them firmly in the hunt for European football at the end of the campaign.
However, earlier this week they were informed that the scheduled game against Aston Villa would not take place on Sunday - with Carlo Ancelotti's side next in action when they take on Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup on January 24.
But, a break in action doesn't mean there's any rest in training for the squad.
Everton released their latest behind-the-scenes video from USM Finch Farm on Friday and there are a few interesting points that can be taken from the compilation.
Great squad atmosphere
The first thing that's clear when you watch the video is how strong the atmosphere seems at Finch Farm right now.
And why shouldn't it be? The Blues have got off to a fantastic start in 2020/21 and are right in the mix for European qualification at the end of the campaign thanks to their strong performances.
After a big win over Wolves in midweek, you could expect the mood to be high among the squad, and they clearly showed that in the opening minutes of the video.
Most players have big smiles on their faces as they make their way onto the training pitch despite the wet conditions.
In particular, it's no surprise that Yerry Mina is right up for the day, making sure he jumps and poses for the cameras before making his way into the session ahead of Richarlison.
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Youngsters involved
A continuing trend since the arrival of Ancelotti has been a number of youngsters being involved in first-team training.
Jarrad Branthwaite has been one of the main success stories of that over recent months, getting his chance with the senior side towards the end of last term before securing a loan move to Blackburn Rovers earlier this week.
Despite the departure of the 18-year-old, some of his under-23s teammates are still involved in sessions to try and catch the eye of Ancelotti.
Particularly this video shows Ellis Simms and Tyler Onyango get a fair amount of coverage, with the former having been in a Premier League squad already this season - an appearance on the bench for Everton's trip to Newcastle.
The midfielder, on the other hand, continues to impress for David Unsworth's side right now and is fashioning himself as one of the most talented stars in that setup.
Both will be expected to be involved in Monday's mini-derby against Liverpool at Southport.
Ferguson and Ancelotti's styles
Videos such as this are a great way to get a, however brief, insight into how training sessions work.
Of course, teams won't want to go too in-depth about what goes on behind-the-scenes, but there are still some points that can be taken.
In the first half of the compilation it's clear to see how much of a leader Duncan Ferguson is to the squad, as you'd of course expect from an assistant manager.
As the squad are going through early drills, the constant noise in the background is that of the Scottish coach shouting encouragement and directions to each and every player as they go on.
Meanwhile, Ancelotti is much more quiet in the video, but does have one humorous moment.
The Everton manager is setting up a small practice match between the first-team squad and is discussing with them the matter of offsides in the game.
He says that he will only give a foul for a "clear offside" and that his decision is final, with a wry smile on his face.
No need for VAR at Finch Farm!
Competitive edge
Throughout the following match it's clear to see a competitive edge running right through the heart of the squad.
Despite it being a practice game, both the side wearing bibs and those in just their training gear clearly wanted to win and were willing to dive into as many safe challenges as possible.
The finishing on display from some players was also very strong, with James Rodriguez unsurprisingly finding the bottom corner with two textbook curling finishes with his left foot.
One surprising player to bag a couple of goals, however, was Seamus Coleman.
He scored at the near post in the practice game and, when crossing the ball into the area in the last drill shown in the compilation, he took one shot at goal which flew into the top corner.
You wonder if we'll see that on the pitch soon...
Missing players
Unfortunately, alongside some interesting things that were shown, there were still a few players missing from the footage.
Allan is working his way back from a hamstring injury and will hopefully be involved for Everton once more before the end of the month, with their next match against Sheffield Wednesday a week away.
However, he's not yet back in full training with the squad it seems, as the Brazilian was not shown in any of the footage.
Another player missing was Jean-Philippe Gbamin, who is also in the rehabilitation stage following a long-term injury.
Fingers crossed he can also join his teammates soon and he will be able to put what has been a horrendously unlucky beginning to his Blues career firmly behind him.
