Everton have serious designs on finishing in the top four this season and that prospect could still become a reality, despite the defeat to Chelsea on Monday night.
The Blues sit in sixth place in the Premier League table, just four points behind Chelsea in fourth and with a game in hand, while Leicester in third are seven points ahead having also played a game more.
A Champions League spot can still be the target for Carlo Ancelotti's men and with 11 games to go, destiny is almost in the hands of those at Goodison Park in what is set to be a very exciting end to the season.
"Our target is to be in Europe," the manager said after the game at Stamford Bridge. "If we are to be in the top four, it will be fantastic."
West Ham, on 48 points and in fifth position, have 11 games remaining as do Tottenham in seventh having amassed 45 points.
Aston Villa, who have achieved 40 points so far this season and sit ninth, have 12 games to go while Manchester United, Leicester, Chelsea and Liverpool, in second, third, fourth and eighth position respectively, have 10 matches to go and sit on 54, 53, 50 and 43 points.
It is likely Everton will be locked in an intense battle from now until the end of the season with most of those teams for a European Cup place, with Manchester City in first a further 11 points clear of the chasing pack, 19 clear of the Blues having played a game more.
But how many points do Everton realistically now need if they are to finish in fourth this season? With football an ever-changing beast, we have looked at the last decade when considering how many points are usually needed to secure a spot in the top four.
The points total needed to secure Champions League football
Last season, Manchester United in third and Chelsea in fourth both achieved 66 points. In 2018/19 Chelsea finished on 72 points in third and Tottenham accrued 71 points in fourth.
It took 77 points for Spurs to finish third in 2017/18 and 75 for Liverpool to take the final place. In 2016/17, Man City achieved 78 points to secure third while Liverpool managed to gain 76 points for fourth.
In the previous term, Man City won 66 points and finished fourth while Tottenham managed to get 70 in third. In 2014/15, Arsenal finished third with 75 points and Manchester United came fourth with 70. Back in 2013/14, Chelsea won 82 points to get third while Arsenal needed 79 for fourth. It was 75 points for Chelsea in third during the 2012/13 season and 73 for Arsenal in fourth.
Tottenham accrued 69 points for fourth in the campaign before that, with Arsenal in third having amassed 70 points. And finally, in 2010/11 Arsenal achieved 68 points for fourth while Man City came in third with 71 - the same amount as Chelsea in second that season.
On average, then, to achieve third place in the Premier League over the last decade teams have needed to accrue just over 73 points. To obtain fourth place , over the last 10 years sides have needed an average of just over 71 points .
Now, Everton sit on 46 points this season with 11 games to go - meaning they'd need to win nine games between now and the end of the season to get an average third place finish throughout the last decade.
To reach the benchmark average for fourth, this term the Blues would need to win eight of their remaining 11 games while drawing one of the others.
It's a big ask, of course, but certainly nowhere near impossible and below you can see how the run-in for Ancelotti's men compares to everyone else.
Remaining fixtures for Everton
Everton v Burnley
Everton v Crystal Palace
Brighton v Everton
Everton v Tottenham
Arsenal v Everton
Everton v Aston Villa
West Ham v Everton
Everton v Sheffield United
Everton v Wolves
Man City v Everton
(Aston Villa v Everton TBC)
Remaining fixtures for Chelsea
Leeds v Chelsea
Chelsea v Sheffield United
Chelsea v West Brom
Crystal Palace v Chelsea
Chelsea v Brighton
West Ham v Chelsea
Chelsea v Fulham
Man City v Chelsea
Chelsea v Arsenal
Chelsea v Leicester
Aston Villa v Chelsea
Remaining fixtures for West Ham
Manchester United v West Ham
West Ham v Arsenal
Wolves v West Ham
West Ham v Leicester
Newcastle v West Ham
West Ham v Chelsea
Burnley v West Ham
West Ham v Everton
Brighton v West Ham
West Brom v West Ham
West Ham v Southampton
Remaining fixtures for Tottenham
Arsenal v Tottenham
Aston Villa v Tottenham
Newcastle v Tottenham
Tottenham v Manchester United
Everton v Tottenham
Tottenham v Sheffield United
Leeds v Tottenham
Tottenham v Wolves
Tottenham v Aston Villa
Leicester v Tottenham
Remaining fixtures for Liverpool
Wolves v Liverpool
Arsenal v Liverpool
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Leeds v Liverpool
Liverpool v Newcastle
Manchester United v Liverpool
Liverpool v Southampton
West Brom v Liverpool
Burnley v Liverpool
Liverpool v Crystal Palace
Remaining fixtures for Aston Villa
Newcastle v Aston Villa
Aston Villa v Tottenham
Aston Villa v Fulham
Liverpool v Aston Villa
Aston Villa v Man City
Aston Villa v West Brom
Everton v Aston Villa
Aston Villa v Manchester United
Crystal Palace v Aston Villa
Tottenham v Aston Villa
Aston Villa v Chelsea
