It's got to be!

Weirdly, as it feels like Everton have been pretty poor for a while, they are unbeaten in 10 Premier League home games (W5 D5); only Liverpool (58) are on a longer current such run, while it’s the Toffees’ longest run without defeat at Goodison Park since December 2016 (11).

Leon Osman
Former Everton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 Live

The level of performances have dipped here at Goodison Park and it's not what the fans expect and it is not what the manager has been expecting since he joined the club. Carlo Ancelotti has asked for a reaction from his players, wanting a better level of performance and I'm expecting the players to give it to him today.

Aston Villa

Aston Villa boss Dean Smith, speaking to Sky Sports: "It's a big evening for us. The pressure is building. There are a few games left and we have to win.

"Our performances have merited at least two or three wins since we came back and we had to wait until Sunday to get that win against Crystal Palace. It was fully deserved.

"Everton are a wounded animal [after Wolves defeat]. They were hurting after the game. I'm sure Carlo will have them up for tonight."

Postpublished at 17:36 BST 16 July 2020

17:36 BST 16 July 2020

Everton v Aston Villa (18:00 BST)

Jordan Pickford looks to have tweaked something in his leg while kicking some balls. A big wince and a hobble but he's OK to continue by the looks of it.

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester’s Jamie Vardy has scored 23 Premier League goals this season, only netting more in a single campaign in the competition in the Foxes title winning season of 2015-16 (24 goals).

Warm-ups almost completed in Liverpool and in Leicester - a couple of away wins would shake up the tea-time table big time tonight.

Tom Lawrence: Uniteds Manchester and Sheffield better get used to playing on a Thursday night tbf.

Alistair Magowan
BBC Sport at King Power Stadium

Last time these two teams played at Bramall Lane, it was a warm Saturday afternoon in August as a Harvey Barnes wonder goal earned a 2-1 win for the Foxes. Fast forward almost 11 months, and it's a balmy evening at the King Power with plenty more at stake.

Five points separate fourth-placed Leicester and eighth-placed Sheffield but it's the Blades who are in form with 10 points from their last 12 available.

Can Chris Wilder's team, first out to warm-up, cap an already brilliant season by gatecrashing next season's European party?

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Aged 19 years, 36 days, Luke Thomas is the third youngest player to make his first PL start for Leicester City, after Emile Heskey (17y 56d v QPR in March 1995) and Stuart Campbell (18y 357d v Man Utd in November 1996).

Sweet Caroline rings out around an empty Goodison...there is work to be done at Everton over the summer.

How many of today's squad do we think Carlo would ship out if he could? He seem intent on a rigid 4-4-2.

With 54 points from their opening 35 games this season, only four newly promoted sides have won more points than Sheffield United at this stage of Premier League campaign, with Ipswich in 2000-01 the last to do so (62 points).

Mark Lawrenson
Ex-Liverpool defender

Leicester badly need a win to boost their hopes of a top-four finish, especially now they know fifth place won't get them into next season's Champions League after Manchester City's European ban was overturned.

I don't see them getting three points here, though. It doesn't seem to matter who or where Sheffield United play at the moment because, defensively, they are so well set up.

Prediction: 1-1

Lawro's full predictions v DJ Nathan Dawe

Aston Villa have faced 582 shots in the Premier League this season, 49 more than any other side. However, since restart the Villans are facing 10.7 shots per game in the Premier League, compared to 18.1 before the enforced break this season.

Mark Lawrenson
Ex-Liverpool defender

Aston Villa's win over Crystal Palace on Sunday was massive for them after Watford and West Ham both won on the previous day.

This is another big game for Villa, but I don't see it ending so well. I know they beat Palace 2-0 but they don't seem to create many chances at all from open play, which has to be a real worry for them.

The way they played against Wolves, Everton looked as though they were on the beach already, but Carlo Ancelotti tore into them afterwards and it feels as if we will see a reaction here.

I think quite a few people in this Everton team will be elsewhere next season, though. I think Ancelotti has already made his mind up about a number of his players, and decided whether they are what he wants or not.

Prediction: 2-0

Lawro's full predictions v DJ & Aston Villa fan Nathan Dawe

Leicester City

Brendan Rodgers hands a first-team debut to 19-year-old left-back Luke Thomas as Leicester City make four changes to the side beaten 4-1 at Bournemouth.

Wes Morgan, Ryan Bennett and Harvey Barnes also come into the side for Caglar Soyuncu, who was sent off on the south coast, Kelechi Iheanacho, Christian Fuchs and Marc Albrighton.

Academy graduate Thomas, an England Under-19 international, has featured in the EFL Trophy this season and made 15 appearances for Leicester's Under-23 side in the Premier League 2.

Image source, BBC Sport

Chris Wilder sticks with the same Sheffield United side that beat Chelsea 3-0 last time out.

Everton

Image source, .

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti labelled the spirit of his side during the 3-0 defeat at Wolves on Sunday as "unacceptable" and the Italian has responded by making five changes.

One of them is enforced as Yerry Mina has a muscle injury, while Mason Holgate, Alex Iwobi, Bernard, Andre Gomes and Seamus Coleman all return.

Everton XI: Pickford, Coleman, Keane, Holgate, Digne, Iwobi, Davies, Gomes, Bernard, Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison.

Substitutes: Baines, Sigurdsson, Walcott, Sidibe, Stekelenburg, Kean, Virginia, Branthwaite, Gordon.

Image source, .

Just the one change for Aston Villa from the side that beat Crystal Palace on Sunday to keep alive hopes of avoiding relegation.

With Neil Taylor ruled out with a hamstring injury, Matt Targett returns to defence.

Aston Villa XI: Reina, Elmohamady, Konsa, Mings, Targett, McGinn, Luiz, Hourihane, Trezeguet, Samatta, Grealish.

Substitutes: Lansbury, Nakamba, El Ghazi, Jota, Guilbert, Nyland, Vassilev, Davis, Hayden.

Speaking of team news Sarah...