Everton boss Ronald Koeman refuses to discuss Barcelona job

However, he admits he “understands” it’s “normal” for player’s wanting to play in the Champions League and he admitted “we will see what will happen with Romelu”. Every time we play there, we feel a special moment.

Another name to be linked with the job is Mauricio Pochettino, who Koeman will pit his wits against on Sunday when Everton travel to Tottenham.

“I feel that if you look at my stats, my goals, then I'm up there”.

This is the Arsenal players’ first league outing in three weeks, and they won’t have another for two more weeks.

The England global missed seven weeks with an ankle injury earlier this term, but believes the time on the sidelines has put him in his best possible shape. Spurs have mostly avoided this pitfall, I think in large part because Walker and Rose are legitimately creative for their position, and because they have a bona fide central creator in Eriksen to rely on as well.

Koeman said: “I think he’s managing a big club and I think he’s happy”.

Pochettino knows only too well the emotions of upping sticks after he played in Espanyol’s final season at the Sarria Stadium in 1997, the Spanish club’s home since 1923. It’s another tough game to call, but I’m going to go with home advantage and back Spurs for a slender win. It was very special. “I felt everyone played well and it was important to do that for the fans as well”. And now it is happening at White Hart Lane, many years later. If you ask Ronald Koeman he would say Lukaku is the best but, if you ask me, of course Harry is the best.

Romelu Lukaku says he has learned not to focus on his standing in the race for the Premier League’s golden boot ahead of this weekend’s showdown with Tottenham rival Harry Kane.

One thing that jumps out about Pochettino’s side both this year and last year is that they are a high volume shooting team, leading the league in total shots taken.

Kane racked up first-half hat trick in the 4-0 win over Stoke last weekend, producing two opportunistic finishes to go with a deflected free kick. “I want to do double session”. I want to do a double session.’ I tell him: ‘No, Harry.’ He says: ‘Oh, gaffer, come on, I feel good, I’m not exhausted’.

Everton have been in talks for several months over a new deal for the Belgium global – and before Christmas, his agent Mino Raiola said: ‘We have 99.9 per cent reached terms’.

Alli’s goal was of critical importance, as he was determined to repay the faith his manager had shown in him after he was unceremoniously sent off against Gent in the Europa League last week.