Incredibly, it's not beyond the realms of possibility. Unlikely, certainly, but Everton could still qualify for Europe this season.
Rewind back to January 4, and after Sean Dyche's final match in charge, the miserable 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth, and Everton sat just two points above the relegation places.
Fast-forward to the present day and a nine-game unbeaten league run following the return of David Moyes means the Blues now lie a huge 17 points clear of the bottom three.
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In fact, Moyes' revilitalised side are now closer to the expected fifth and final Champions League spot (14 points), which is currently occupied by defending champions Manchester City, than they are to third-from-bottom Ipswich Town.
Now, Everton's daunting fixture list in April, when they play five of the current top six, means there's little chance they will be gatecrashing European football's top club competition next season.
But our own Joe Thomas this week explained how the Blues could grace the 2025-26 Europa Conference League by finishing 11th. Again, that could be a tall order, given Brentford, who sit in that slot, are seven points better off.
But former Everton defender Richard Dunne believes European football will soon be returning to his old club, who will be moving to a magnificent new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock come the end of the current campaign.
"I think he’s been brilliant," said Dunne of Moyes, who had left the Blues, for Manchester City, before the veteran Scot first arrived at Goodison Park in 2002. "I think the impact that he’s had has completely changed the outlook of the club now.
"There was a lot of panic about, obviously whether they would be in the Championship in their lovely new stadium and all that sort of stuff, but that worry seems to have been washed away now.
"It’s much more positive, things are looking up, and in the next few years, if this short period David Moyes has been in is anything to go by, they can start looking and hoping that European football could be on the horizon in the future.
"I think that’s huge for the club going into the new stadium. He did an amazing job the last time he was there and he obviously won a European trophy while he was away at West Ham United.
"The hope will be that he will come back, resurrect Everton’s fortunes and hopefully get them challenging for European places and see what they can do in the competitions."
In Moyes' first stint on Merseyside, the Blues were regulars in Europe. It was a feat the 61-year-old replicated at West Ham, who reached a Europa League semi-final and quarter-final under his watch, either side of the club's historic triumph in the 2022-23 Europa Conference League.
Everton are a much-changed club since Moyes' departure in 2013 but arguably his best-ever buy, the £60,000 Seamus Coleman, remains.
The 36-year-old has yet to play under Moyes since his return but he is back in the squad after injury and will surely feature, fitness permitting, in one of the final four fixtures at Goodison.
And Dunne said of his former Republic of Ireland team-mate, whose contract runs out at the end of the season: "Obviously age catches up with us all and you come to a stage in your career where you do come to a crossroads, and you think about whether you carry on or go in a different route.
"Seamus is probably coming to that period now. If he’s still capable I’m sure he’d love to just carry on playing - that’s what we all love doing.
"He’s one of those players where he’s earned the right to decide what he wants to do. If he decides to become a coach, I’m sure there’ll be plenty of opportunities for him.
"If he wants to carry on, there’ll be lots of club who will want him., and I’m sure Everton will want him to stay around. Then obviously if he wants to step away for a bit that’s something he’s earned as well.
"I think there won’t be any sort of pressure or expectations put on Seamus, it will all be down to what he fancies doing.
"Throughout his career he’s always made good decisions, so I’m sure he will again."
Another good decision made by Moyes concerns another Irishman, Jake O’Brien. The summer signing from Lyon has been a revelation since being moved to right-back and he met up with the Republic of Ireland squad this week on the back of his second point-saving goal in the three games.
"I think Jake O’Brien has done fantastic; he’s had to wait a long time to get his opportunity to play," said Dunne to the Betway Insider interview blog.
"He obviously had big success in France last year and scored quite a few goals for Lyon which got him the move to the Premier League. But he’s had to be patient, and he’s come into the team at the right time.
"When a new manager comes in and the first thing he does is put his trust in you as a player, you feel that confidence right away. He’ll feel like he wants to prove Moyes right and so far he’s done it.
"He’s been part of a really solid defensive unit and a really improving team so fair play to him he's done great, he’s put his head down and he’s got his opportunity.
"Now he seems to be taking it with both hands so it’s great for him."
