Match Preview
Updated Everton are back under the lights to face Newcastle United at Goodison Park this Thursday evening looking to turn their home form around having recorded just one Premier League win in L4 so far this season.
It was hoped that the 3-0 win over Bournemouth two months ago and the triumph over Burnley in the League Cup three weeks later would spark the Toffees into life on front of their own fans but the games against Brighton and Manchester United yielded just one point from a possible six.
Indeed, Everton’s performances in matches at Goodison against sides chasing a place in the top six has not been great but two fixtures in the space of three days against teams that are, on paper, superior outfits in the form of the Magpies and Chelsea presents the ideal opportunity to put that right.
Certainly, Saturday’s gritty 1-0 win over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground, which lifted the Blues to within two points of Luton Town in 17th place, should ensure that the players go into these two matches in the right frame of mind and with the confidence to pick up much-needed points.
And it’s possible that Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be back in the side after missing the trip to the East Midlands with a calf complaint. The striker had been kept separate from the main group last week as the club’s medical staff nursed the problem that had flared up during the 3-0 defeat to United but he was not deemed able to face Forest last weekend.
However, while Amadou Onana is rated as “touch and go” by Dyche for the Newcastle clash with a calf injury of his own, Sean Dyche hinted at the weekend that Calvert-Lewin could make the clash with the Magpies and followed that up with more encouraging words in his press conference on Wednesday.
Assuming he does play and no other injury concerns are thrown up in the interim, DCL is likely to be the only change to the team that started against Forest, with Beto the man expected to make way to accommodate his return. That would see Idrissa Gueye and James Garner, so impressive last Saturday, continue their partnership in midfield and Ashley Young retain his place despite the return to fitness of Seamus Coleman.
Newcastle, meanwhile, come into the game with a raft of injury problems and as many as 13 members of their squad either ruled out or being assessed for their ability to play on Thursday. Anthony Gordon left Sunday’s game against Manchester United limping and complaining of tightness in his hip but it’s unlikely he would allow that to keep him out of a reunion against the club he left in fairly acrimonious circumstances last January.
But with Sandro Tonali serving a long suspension and all of Elliot Anderson, Harvey Barnes, Sven Botman, Dan Burn, Sean Longstaff, Javier Manquillo, Jacob Murphy, Matt Targett, Joe Willock and Callum Wilson ruled out, Eddie Howe’s woes were compounded by the loss to injury of goalkeeper Nick Pope at the weekend.
Despite those challenges, Newcastle remain in decent enough form, having beaten Man United in both the League Cup and Premier League as well as thumping Chelsea 4-1, overcoming leaders Arsenal at St James’s Park last month and coming within a hugely controversial VAR decision of beating Paris Saint-Germain on their own turf.
Nevertheless, their away form in general should give Everton cause for optimism. Howe’s men were beaten fairly comfortably by Bournemouth on the south coast on 11th November and so far this term their only Premier League victory on their travels was the 8-0 demolition of Sheffield United at Bramall Lane in September.
Last season’s 4-1 humbling by Newcastle on another night charged with hope and defiance during Everton’s battle against relegation was a harrowing experience and one Dyche and his players will be keen to avoid this time around.
Despite it being the same margin of victory as United’s on Merseyside 10 days ago, the Toffees are generally made of sterner stuff these days and their defence will be stronger than the one comprising Michael Keane and an out-of-position Ben Godfrey that was given such a run-around by the Magpies last March.
Once again, the first goal could be important for Everton’s chances so the manager will be hoping his side can make a strong start and make things as difficult as possible for Howe and his men.
Kick-off: 7:30pm, Thursday 7 December, 2023
Referee: Tim Robinson
VAR: David Coote
Last Time: Everton 1 – 4 Newcastle United
Predicted Line-up: Pickford, Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko, Gueye, Garner, Harrison, McNeil, Doucouré, Calvert-Lewin