Relegation battling Everton meet top-four chasing Newcastle United in a crunch showdown at Goodison Park.
Victory would see Everton climb out of the relegation zone and up to 16th, whilst Newcastle can stay third with a win.
Team News
Mason Holgate is suspended for Everton after he was red carded during their goalless draw at Crystal Palace last weekend.
Abdoulaye Doucoure (suspension) and Amadou Onana (groin) could return but
Ruben Vinagre (Achilles), Seamus Coleman (hamstring) and Andros Townsend (knee) remain absent.
Newcastle could be without defender, Fabian Schar after he was substituted during their win against Tottenham with a hamstring issue.
Bruno Guimaraes (ankle) could also be rested but Allan Saint-Maximin (hamstring), Ryan Fraser (personal) and Emil Krafth (knee) remain absent.
When is Kick-Off?
Everton host Newcastle at 7:45pm BST on Thursday 27 April at Goodison Park, live on BT Sport 2 in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Everton have won just one of their last six meetings against Newcastle (W1, D1, L4).
- Newcastle have won just one of their last five visits to Everton (W1, D2, L2).
- Victory would see Newcastle achieve a league double against Everton for just the third time this century, having only done so in 2001-02 and 2020-21 seasons.
- Dwight McNeil has scored in two of Everton’s last three home matches.
- Newcastle’s Alexander Isak has scored four goals in three of his last four appearances, only failing to find the net in their 3-0 loss at Aston Villa in the Magpies’ last away outing.
Prediction
Currently back within the relegation zone due to results elsewhere in the past week, Everton need to take the positives from a solid away display at Crystal Palace and look to deliver a more clinical performance because they could do with a win here.
Newcastle meanwhile were absolute class against Tottenham with excellent variety in their attacking play and press to punish terrible defending, although Schar could of prevented Harry Kane’s consolatory goal for Spurs with tighter marking.
Now if Eddie Howe’s Magpies can deliver more of that sort of performance then I can see them cliniching another comfortable win, although Everton’s defence and goalkeeper – Jordan Pickford will be tough to break down at home if they don’t implode like in their last home game.
Prediction: Everton 0-2 Newcastle
Result: Everton 1-4 Newcastle