Everton star Romelu Lukaku was forced to stay at home as the club headed out to a week-long warm weather training camp in Dubai, but the striker's absence did not appear to dampen spirits.
The Blues flew out to the Middle East on Monday at the start of a five-day trip away from their USM Finch Farm base after manager Ronald Koeman gave the green light to a change of scenery.
Everton were knocked out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle by Leicester City in the Third Round, but a run of eight games without defeat in the Premier League has brought a wave of optimism back to the blue half of Merseyside.