Everton-Newcastle is a match of the fifteenth day of the Premier League and is played on Thursday at 8:30 pm: TV, lineups, predictions.
Everton is trying to react to the 10-point penalty pending an appeal that the club has already announced. The performance of Sean Dyche’s team, currently third-last on 7 points – without the penalty it would be 13th, just two lengths behind 10th-ranked Chelsea, to be clear -seems to have even improved since November.
In their last four games, the Toffees beat Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest (two direct rivals) and drew with Brighton. The only defeat, a clear one, came at Goodison Park against Manchester United. Last Saturday, Everton returned to a clean sheet after more than a month by unleashing a great defensive performance at City Ground against Forest (0-1), bent by a McNeil goal in the second half. Strangely enough, Dyche’s men are doing very poorly at home and very well away: only 4 points Tarkowski and co. have scored in front of their home crowd, 13 away from Goodison Park.
Newcastle limps away
Now, regardless of what the outcome of the legal battle on the horizon will be, Everton cannot afford to lower their engine revs, given their current standings situation.
(Bruno Guimaraes IlVeggente.it (Ansa)
In the midweek fixture, the Toffees will host Newcastle, a team that is in the midst of a killer tour de force. The Magpies, sixth -3 from fourth place, have just won the important direct clash with Manchester United at St. James’ Park thanks to a goal from Gordon (1-0) and will face another one against Tottenham at the weekend. Then, a few days later, there is the in-or-out Champions League challenge with AC Milan, which could also become a tiebreaker for third place and the Europa League parachute. Crucial engagements in which Eddie Howe is called upon to come up with something in light of the injuries and disqualifications that have decimated the Bianconeri squad.
The Prediction
Newcastle’s away performance is unsatisfactory: only five points have been picked up by Howe’s men away from home. And against a point-hungry Everton, as well as “motivated” by the penalty, it will not be easy to make full haul. The feeling is that the hosts can at least avoid defeat.
The probable lineups of Everton-Newcastle
EVERTON (4-5-1): Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Harrison, Gueye, Garner, Doucouré, McNeil; Beto.
NEWCASTLE (4-3-3): Dubravka; Trippier, Schar, Lascelles, Livramento; Miley, Bruno Guimaraes, Joelinton; Almiron, Isak, Gordon.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
