Everton midfielder James McCarthy insists they can challenge for the top six.

Everton have been in fine fettle to date in 2017, with four wins from five Premier League games against Southampton, Manchester City, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth, netting 14 goals and conceding just four.

"We are in there fighting and we have had a good start to 2017," McCarthy told evertonfc.com. “But we won't get too carried away because we want to kick on. There is a little bit still to go but we are getting stronger together as a team and as a unit. We want to catch the teams above us and why not?

“We will take it a game at a time. We know it will be tough at Middlesbrough - it has always been a tough place to go - because they have come up from the Championship and done well so far.

“But we'll go there and make sure we are up for it. We want to try and keep the momentum going and winning games. There are 14 matches to go and we are certainly up for it. We are looking forward to the remaining games.

“[A top-six place] is still in a lot of people's hands. But we certainly know we have a good enough squad here with real competition for places. Each and every one of us knows what the target is for this season, to finish as high as we possibly can.

“As a squad we are relishing the challenge."