The upcoming international break will be an unwelcome distraction for an Everton team aiming to continue its push away from the Premier League relegation zone.

A 1-1 home draw with Brighton & Hove Albion last Saturday moved the Toffees five points clear of the bottom three and in touching distance of mid-table.

Sean Dyche’s side visit Crystal Palace in their final game before the international break, and can then put their feet up for a couple of weeks ahead of a home match against Manchester United.

With club football on the backburner for a fortnight, Everton fans will need to find something else to fuel their sporting passion. Here are a few suggestions.

Horse Racing – November Meeting – Cheltenham 

With the Breeders’ Cup World Championships and Melbourne Cup now done and dusted, the focus in the horse racing world will switch to National Hunt action.

Everton fans who fancy placing race horse bets during the international break have plenty of options at their disposal including the prestigious November Meeting at Cheltenham.

The action gets underway with Countryside Day on Friday, November 17, which features several competitive races including the Grade 2 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle.

Saturday is the showpiece of the meeting, with the Paddy Power Gold Cup undoubtedly one of the biggest betting events of the National Hunt season.

The race always attracts a high-class field of steeplechasers, many of whom will go on to contest major handicaps at the big spring festivals.

With several intriguing races on the support card, Everton fans will have plenty of opportunity to boost their bankroll on the second day of the November meeting.

The final day is all about family entertainment, with Cheltenham providing younger racegoers with a plethora of fun activities in their Family Fun Zone.

The Sunday line-up is headlined by two graded steeplechases and the Greatwood Hurdle, providing punters with even more excellent betting opportunities.

Darts – Grand Slam of Darts - Wolverhampton

The Professional Darts Corporation bandwagon rolls into Wolverhampton during November as the prestigious Grand Slam of Darts is staged at WV Active Aldersley.

The opening stage runs from Saturday, November 11, to Tuesday, November 14, and features 32 players drawn into eight groups of four.

The top two players in each section qualify for the second round and the tournament becomes a straight knockout from this point.

Reigning champion Michael Smith kicks off his defence of the title on the first Saturday against Nathan Girvin, while Michael van Gerwen faces Fallon Sherrock in a battle of the sexes.

World Grand Prix champion Luke Humphries starts his title bid against Steve Lennon, while Dirk van Duijvenbode and Gary Anderson meet in an eye-catching group stage clash.

The last-16 will be staged across Wednesday and Thursday evening, with the quarter-finals being held on Friday and Saturday.

The tournament concludes with a double-session on Sunday, November 19, with the two semi-finals played in the afternoon followed by the final in the evening.

With all of the world’s top players in the line-up, the latest edition of the Grand Slam of Darts is a truly unmissable event for Everton fans.

Tennis – ATP Finals – Turin

The world’s best tennis players will compete at the ATP Finals in Turin in what is one of the biggest sporting events taking place during the international break.

Serbian superstar Novak Djokovic is chasing a record seventh title at the prestigious season finale, but he will not find it easy to achieve the feat.

Carlos Alcaraz, Daniil Medvedev, Jannik Sinner, Andrey Rublev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Alexander Zverev and Holger Rune complete the line-up in a tournament which has been known to produce surprises.

The eight players will be divided into two groups of four in the opening stage, with the top two from each section progressing to the semi-finals.

The round-robin matches in the group phase will be played from Sunday, November 12, to Friday, November 17, with the semi-final scheduled for the Saturday.

If the champion at this year’s tournament lifts the trophy with an unbeaten record, he will earn a whopping $4,801,500 prize pot.

There is a total of $15 million up for grabs in the singles and doubles tournaments, making the ATP Finals one of the most lucrative tennis events in the calendar.

If Djokovic can claim victory in the singles tournament, it would move him one clear of Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer in the all-time list.