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Everton loan star Romelu Lukaku has increased the pressure on the Toffees to finish in the top four by demanding Champions League football next season.

The Goodison club would like to sign Lukaku from Chelsea permanently in the summer, but he has dented those hopes by saying he wants to play for a team challenging for trophies.

“It’s time for me to play Champions League, and that’s what I want,” said the 20-year-old Belgian striker, who hopes to return from his ankle injury against West Ham on March 1.

“I don’t want to play my first games in the Champions League when I’m 23, I want it now. I have to show now that I’m ready. I want to be a top player and I also think I can shout that out. I’ve scored a lot of goals, but I haven’t won many titles or cups yet. I want to win something.”

Boss Roberto Martinez insists sixth-placed Everton can deliver Champions League football for Lukaku, claiming: “I see it that the race is still wide open.”

Everton face Crystal Palace at Goodison Park on Wednesday, and the Spaniard says his experience of fighting relegation with Wigan can help the Blues over the tense run-in.

“When you are fighting to avoid relegation, you have something to lose and those games become so vital,” he said. “That is an experience you can take into the situation we are in that you could feel, ‘Well, it’s been a great season and whatever happens from now until the end of the season doesn’t really matter’.

“We’re not going to approach it that way. I think the final third of the season needs to be approached with the same feeling that you are fighting to avoid relegation. You need to look after every point, making sure that the small margins matter in every game you play.

“It’s really, really helpful for me to have that intensity to understand the final third of the season has to replicate that level to be successful, whichever aim you are working for.”

Probable teams

Everton Howard; Coleman, Distin, Jagielka, Baines; Barry, McCarthy, Barkley; Pienaar, Deulofeu, Naismith.

Crystal Palace Speroni; Ward, Delaney, Dann, Parr; Puncheon, Jedinak, Dikgacoi, Bolasie; Ince, Chamakh.