Everton v West Ham, Goodison Park, 8.0: Everton are hoping home form can guide them through their hectic schedule in December and continue their steady rise up the Premiership table.

David Moyes' side face West Ham at Goodison Park tonight, the third of seven games in December which could put a nice cushion between themselves and those clubs battling to preserve their top-flight status.

An impressive run of only one defeat in the last seven matches, including Sunday's draw at Manchester United, has enabled Everton to bounce back from a desperate start to the season when they won only one of their first nine league games.

"In the four games we've just come through we had three away and one at home, which was a concern for me because, as everybody knows, winning games away from home in the Premiership is not easy," said Moyes. "We've done quite well in those games and now it's reversed, and we have to try to use our home form to get us those results."

With Everton having home games against West Ham, Bolton and Liverpool to come this month, it presents an opportunity to build momentum and try to reach the top half of the Premiership for the first time this season.

Everton should start as favourites against a West Ham side who have surprised the pre-season sceptics who predicted a swift return to the Championship - although they have also won only one away game this season.

"In the last few years any team that has come up have been made favourites to go straight back down," said Moyes. "But the momentum these teams have from coming up when they have been winning regularly in the Championship can sometimes carry them on, and I think that's been the case with West Ham and Wigan this season."

Moyes is boosted by the return of midfielder Mikel Arteta from suspension, and he is added to the 16-man squad who were on duty at Old Trafford, while Richard Wright, largely instrumental for earning the point, will continue in goal as Nigel Martyn is still out with a groin strain.

While the return of one midfielder will boost Moyes' options, the big interest around Everton is whether they will win the race with Real Madrid, Bolton and Celtic to secure Roy Keane's signature.

"I don't know any more about it," Moyes said. "We're concerning ourselves with the players we have and preparing them for the next match. It's everybody else who wants to know what's happening."