After a positive start to the Premier League season in which they won four of their opening five matches, Everton looked well on course to be competing for the European spots they desire this term.

However, a poor run of form in which they won just one of their following ten fixtures saw them slide back down the table, while summer signing Yannick Bolasie's season-ending knee injury has not helped matters.

After beating Arsenal, Leicester and then Southampton in their first game in 2017, Ronald Koeman will hope that his side have again turned a corner in what could be a busy month of transfer action for the Dutchman.

While they have shown improved form, there are still problems that need to be rectified at the Merseyside outfit if they are to challenge for European football.

Here are THREE things that Everton must improve on in 2017…

Beating the teams they should be beat

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While it may take some time for Everton to reach the level that owner Farhad Moshiri and manager Ronald Koeman want, they will certainly have to improve on their results if they are to break into the top six of the Premier League.

While their defeats to Liverpool and Chelsea this season may not have been too much of a surprise, the losses to Bournemouth, Burnley, Watford and Southampton were more disappointing, while they have also drawn at home to strugglers Crystal Palace and Swansea City, as well as away at lowly Hull City on Friday night.

Being more clinical

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If Everton are to make that jump into the top four, they are going to have to be far more clinical than they have been at points this season.

One standout case was the defeat against Ronald Koeman’s former side Southampton – who had gone four Premier League matches without a win prior to their victory against the Toffees – in November as despite having 13 attempts at goal, only one of those was on target as they failed to trouble Fraser Forster.

Stop relying on Lukaku

While the Belgian striker has proven that he is Everton’s main goal-getter over the course of the past couple of years, the Toffees must start spreading the goals around the pitch more if they are to progress as a club and move on to that next level in the Premier League.

Lukaku has netted eleven of Everton’s 28 Premier League goals this season, with Ross Barkley and Seamus Coleman coming next in their list of league scorers with three apiece. This is something that Ronald Koeman will look to improve on in the second half of the campaign.