Everton vs Newcastle: Match Preview | Toffees look to build on Palace win
Yesterday at 04:04 PM
Can the Blues make it two from two?
Everton will look to make it back-to-back Premier League wins when they take on Newcastle at Goodison on Saturday night.
The Toffees finally jolted their season into life with that victory over Crystal Palace last weekend. The fans still had to endure a rotten opening 45 and a nervy last 15 minutes, but given how the team had started the campaign it was all about the result rather than the performance.
The win will also allow everyone to calm down a bit after a sense of panic seemed to grip the club after those horrible three straight defeats.
That, of course, could return if they lose heavily on Saturday, especially as the looming international break means Evertonians will have two weeks to stew on negative results.
Avoid defeat however and a run of favourable fixtures after the break would give Everton a real chance to climb the table and hopefully banish fears of yet another long and traumatic battle against the drop.
The opposition
It has been nothing but eventful since the Saudi Arabian-backed takeover of Newcastle. A thrilling and ultimately comfortable escape from relegation was followed by a fourth-place finish at a spot in the Champions League. However, they crashed out at the group stage and those extra games exacerbated an already lengthy injury list that saw them struggle during the first half of the season only to recover and narrowly miss out on Europe once more.
PSR regulations have restricted the owners from spending huge amounts of money (like Man City in the early 2010s) to catapult them up the league. Indeed the regulations required them to sell players such as Elliot Anderson and Yanjubah Minteh over the summer to balance the books. Then the season began with the backdrop of reported tension between boss Eddie Howe and sporting director Paul Mitchell, though relations have reportedly improved.
They have begun well on the pitch, losing just one of their first six, without really hitting top gear. Last weekend's draw against Manchester City will given them further momentum as they head to Goodison.
Previous meeting
Newcastle 1-1 Everton, 2 April 2024
Everton set an unwanted record of 13 Premier League games without a win as they drew 1-1 against Newcastle back in April, though it could have been a lot worse. Aleksander Isak gave the Magpies the lead, with the home side having an effort cleared off the line and a goal disallowed before Dominic Calvert-Lewin's late penalty earned the Toffees a point.
Team news
Jarrad Branthwaite is a doubt after picking up a thigh injury in training, which could mean a recall for Michael Keane. Vitaly Mykolenko is also reportedly a doubt according the Ukrainian media.
Nathan Patterson may make the squad for the first time this season after recovering from a hamstring injury. Armando Broja, Youssef Chermiti and Seamus Coleman are long-term absentees.
What they said
Everton boss Sean Dyche: "We're trying to re-piece together – because we showed it as a group at the end of last season – that ability to operate in different ways. Sometimes you have to see a game through by shutting it down, which we hadn't done as well this season until last week.
"We've shown very good signs in other games, where we've attacked well and maybe not defended as well. Now it's about bolting it together and doing it for 95 or 97 minutes – whatever the game offers and finding different ways of operating to make sure we look after ourselves and win games.
"I was pleased with that, overall, against Palace – using those different ways of working to look after ourselves. Obviously, we have to do that again moving forwards."
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe: "Whenever you go there [Goodison Park], it is a difficult game. The ground has that feel, with the fans involved in the game right from the off and very close to the pitch.
"I think how you start the game and impose yourself on the opposition there is hugely important so we'll want to be really positive in our approach. We've got to learn lessons from the Fulham game in our last away performance.
"We look forward to every game because every game is so different. Sean and I have naturally had a lot of games against each other. He came in at Burnley when I left so we've always had that history together and many good battles over the years.
"He's someone who produces very difficult teams to play against and you never get an easy game against a Sean Dyche team. They're very organised, know their roles, what their jobs are and are highly effective."
Final word
After the injury list appeared to be easing a few key players have gone down lame again, denting my optimism for this game. Newcastle are a good side so a point would not be a bad result and further strengthen that platform for the club to build on after the break.
