Hello friends. It’s time for an update.

First, I’d like to say sorry to Belgium fans for our 2-1 defeat in Romania.

It was only a friendly and it was a tough game but we would have liked to have played better and come home with a more positive result. I assure you in our next game we will try harder and do all we can to put it right.

At Everton, things are going really well and I am so pleased with the form the team is showing. We have been up near the top of the Premier League table since the season started and we are really determined to stay there.

I’ve also been playing further up the field and that has helped me score more goals than usual. I’m enjoying it and hope to score many more in the weeks and months ahead.

A lot of thanks has to go to my teammates who have been playing fantastic football and creating so many chances – and I’m pleased to say Kevin Mirallas is really helping us as an attacking force as well.

Kevin has settled in really well, is showing what a great player he can be and I’m growing more and more grateful that he decided to come and join me here at Goodison Park.

While we are doing well in the league, we have a really tricky run in the lead up to the New Year.

That run begins with successive games against Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham – three games which will hopefully see me come up against Thomas Vermaelen, Vincent Kompany and Jan Vertonghen. Some challenge that’s going to be!

I hope knowing them all so well will help me and help Everton. But I’m sure they’re thinking the same thing.

I can’t explain why Belgium is currently so strong in the centre-back position. What I can say is that it’s fantastic for us as an national team and even better that those players are playing here in England, in one the best leagues in the world. Having so many Belgians playing at this level can only be good for the future of the Red Devils!

Finally, I want to mention a charity calendar I’ve been involved in with Everton. It’s called ’12 Shades Of Blue’ and you’ll have to look it up to see what kind of calendar it is!

All I will say is it was good fun to shoot and it will hopefully raise a great deal of money for charity. I hope I can count on your support.

Take care friends,

Marouane.