Everton will be aiming to maintain their strong recent record at Goodison Park when Cardiff City visit on Saturday.

The Toffees are seven points better off than at the same stage last season and have lost just one of their last nine games at home.

Cardiff remain in the relegation zone after beating Brighton 2-1 at home before the international break.

But Cardiff have won two of their last four games and Neil Warnock believes his side, written off by many at the start of the season, are becoming more competitive with each passing week.

"I think we can do better than what we have done," Warnock said. "We've got to eliminate those mistakes and continue to put teams under pressure.

"We've got a run now where we're playing teams who are not in the top six, not beyond us."

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Team news

Everton midfielders Gylfi Sigurdsson and Andre Gomes and forward Ademola Lookman are all fit to face Cardiff.

Sigurdsson did not even travel to join up with Iceland over the international break because of an ankle problem, while Gomes returned early from Portugal's squad because of bruising to his leg.

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Similarly, Lookman was sent home by England Under-21s after sustaining a minor knock but all three players have recovered.

Cardiff skipper Sean Morrison was forced off against Brighton because of a broken nose but has recovered over the international break.

Harry Arter returns after suspension but Kenneth Zohore is out with a calf problem.

Opta stats

• Everton are unbeaten in their last eight top-flight home games against Cardiff (W6 D2), winning the last three by an aggregate score of 15-5.
• Cardiff haven't beaten Everton in a league game since December 1956, drawing four and losing three since.
• Cardiff have taken just two points from 48 available against the six ever-present Premier League sides (W0 D2 L14), losing all nine such games away from home.
• Since losing against Crystal Palace in April 2014, Everton are unbeaten in their last 13 home Premier League games against promoted sides (W11 D2), winning each of the last nine in a row.
• Everton have lost just one of their last nine Premier League home games (W5 D3), winning the last three in a row.
• Cardiff have scored fewer away goals than any other side in English league football this season (2).

Merson's prediction

I was at Chelsea before the international break and Everton were very good defensively, they defended well and had a good shape. They did what a team should do by going away to a top-four side and be hard to beat. They did that and now they have to win their home game and if they do that, then the Chelsea draw will be a good result.

And I expect them to win - Richarlison is scoring for Brazil and so will be full of confidence, so I am going for a 2-0 win to Everton.

PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (11/2 with Sky Bet)

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