Good afternoon and welcome to Eurosport’s LIVE text commentary of the Premier League clash between Middlesbrough and Everton at the Riverside Stadium. Team news to follow, kick-off: 15:00.

Davies times his run perfectly to latch onto a through ball but Valdes is quick off his line to collect.

It's too easy for Barkley as he eases past a challenge on the channel before finding Davies who had made a good run inside the area but the midfielder's touch is loose and the ball goes out for a goal-kick.

Schneiderlin tries to pick out Lookman with a switched ball but the pass is slightly too heavy. The home fans are making a fantastic noise.

KICK-OFF! Everton get us underway at an arctic Riverside. Mike Dean is the referee.

FIVE MINUTES UNTIL KICK-OFF: Everton have won the last four meetings between the sides - their best run in this fixture since 1931. They have never won five in a row.

Everton may be facing a relegation candidate but Ronald Koeman's insists that three points this afternoon is far from a certainty.

"Middlesbrough are fighting, like everybody was expecting before the season,” Koeman said. “It’s a difficult game because they are fighting for the points, they are fighting to stay in the Premier League.

"It’s not about the fixtures. Sometimes I prefer to play Arsenal at home instead of Middlesbrough at home.

"I look at Middlesbrough as a really well-organised team. They will make it difficult - they only lost 1-0 to Tottenham away.”

Middlesbrough were on the receiving end of a 3-1 defeat the last time the sides met, back in September at Goodison Park. But Aitor Karanka claims his side learned a few lessons that day...

"We realised how difficult the Premier League was that day because we competed against Everton in the second half but for 15 minutes in the first half they were much better than us and we couldn't compete.

"After that game we've improved a lot, it's difficult to score goals and create chances but we're improving a lot, and we're competing against every team.

"We had a chance to beat Tottenham last week, and we are more mature and more experienced now than then."

In stark contrast to Boro's horrid form, Everton have won four of their previous five. An interesting stat... Romelu Lukaku scored more league goals last Saturday against Bournemouth than Middlesbrough's entire squad have netted since Christmas.

Boro are winless in seven games and defeat today could see them drop into the bottom three for the first time this season. Goals have been their problem and Aitor Karanka will need to address those issues in front of goals if Boro are to claim a first victory over Everton since October 2006.

Tom Davies returns for Everton after being used as a substitute in the win over Bournemouth while fellow midfielder Idrissa Gueye makes his first start since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations. No surprise to see Romelu Lukaku, who scored four last time out, spearheading the Toffees’ attack. James McCarthy is presumably injured as he doesn’t make the bench.

Gaston Ramirez handed in a transfer request during the January window but couldn’t force a move and Boro fans will be pleased to learn the playmaker is finally back on the bench for this afternoon’s crucial match. Aitor Karanka has named a rather familiar starting XI with Victor Valdes - who somehow escaped a ban for a clash with Dele Alli last time out – starting in goal. Adama Traore and Alvaro Negredo are the danger men in attack.

MIDDLESBROUGH: Valdes, Chambers, Bernardo, Gibson, Fabio, Clayton, Forshaw, De Roon, Traore, Stuani, Negredo.

EVERTON: Joel, Baines, Funes Mori, Williams, Coleman, Gana, Schneiderlin, Davies, Lookman, Barkley, Lukaku.