You’d have got long odds on Everton being involved in a relegation battle come March, after narrowly missing out on a top four spot at the end of an excellent campaign last season.

But the reality of the situation sees the Merseyside club looking perilously over their shoulders as the pressure continues to grow on Roberto Martinez.

Whatever way you look at it, just six wins from 28 games is not good enough for a club like Everton, especially with the quality of player Martinez has at his disposal. Five games without a win since defeating Crystal Palace at the back end of January has cranked up the pressure on the Spaniard, who knows results need to improve, and fast.

Yet despite a lowly position of 14th in the Premier League table, Martinez could conceivably be on his way to delivering his promise of bringing Champions League football back to Goodison Park, in the form of the Europa League.

The Toffees have been a totally different side in this season’s competition, playing some brilliant football and scoring goals for fun against some notable opposition. Just how they have been unable to replicate this form domestically is hard to pin point, but the fact is they have emerged as genuine contenders for the competition, and the lucrative prize of Champions League qualification that comes with it.

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Some impressive performances before Christmas, saw them top a group containing the likes of Wolfsburg and Lille. Sticking six past the German outfit with just one conceded across the two games was some achievement in itself, given just how well they are fairing in the Bundesliga this season. With Wolfsburg having emerged as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, this highlights just how impressive Everton can be.

And they took this ruthless form into the knock out stages, dismantling a tricky Young Boys team 7-2 on aggregate, to ensure they are the only British side remaining in the cup.

Star striker Romelu Lukaku hit five across the two ties, showing just how effective he can be and, with the Belgian on that type of form, he gives Everton genuine hope of further progress.

A difficult last 16 encounter with Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev awaits them later this evening, but that certainly won’t faze the English side with what they have achieved so far. Despite some horrendous league form, there’s no doubt they have the quality in their side to cause anyone problems, with the likes of Lukaku, Kevin Mirallas, and Steven Naismith in attack. They will surely fancy their chances of taking a lead to Kiev after the first leg tonight, where they can then utilise their ability on the counter attack once again.

Victory would see them through to the quarter-finals, where as we know in football, anything is possible from then on in. The impressive performances in Europe won’t cover the discontent surrounding their poor league form, but what it has shown, is that they are match for any side on their given day.

How far they go, only time will tell, but it’s clear they posses the quality to win the competition, and hopefully inspire a turn around in league form to secure a comfortable mid-table finish. If Martinez can deliver his promise of Champions League football over the coming months, he will no doubt go down as a hero at the club, and a disappointing season in the Premiership will surely be forgiven.

Give any Evertonian the option of Premier League survival alongside a Europa League final come May, and I’m pretty sure they would bite your hand off!

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