Everton vs Newcastle, Thursday, 29 October, Kick-off: 19:45, Sky Sports+
Everton vs Newcastle: Overview
Two teams that will be desperate to remain in the competition.
After a promising start to the season, Everton have lost their last two matches by a scoreline of 2-0 (at home to Chelsea and away to Arsenal). They have won just two of their last eight matches, with those successes coming at home by a scoreline of 1-0 (Wolves in this competition and Ipswich in the league).
They have kept five clean sheets in their ten matches this season and have yet to concede more than two goals in a game.
The general view among fans seems to be that things have been a little bit drab this season, with key players like James Garner and, more problematically, as he has so often come to their rescue, keeper Jordan Pickford, who is still capable of making fine saves but has looked a little erratic on occasion.
Also, Jack Grealish, who missed the Arsenal game owing to “illness”, has yet to work his way into the fans’ hearts during his second spell at the club.
Players like Tyler Dibling and Tyrique George must be chomping at the bit to get some game time.
Newcastle, who won this competition two years ago and have reached the quarter-finals in each of the last four seasons, steadied a faltering ship with a much-needed away win at Crystal Palace on Saturday. Second-half goals from William Osula and Harvey Barnes – his fourth of the campaign – secured victory and prevented a third successive league loss.
Newcastle have actually won five of their ten matches this season, losing three, and have kept three clean sheets.
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Everton vs Newcastle Goalscorers
Everton
Thierno Barry leads the way with six goals this season, followed by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall with two.
Newcastle
As mentioned above, Harvey Barnes has scored four goals this season. Joe Willock has chipped in with three (in eight starts), while Anthony Elanga got off to a good start with two goals in his first three starts to the campaign, but he had been absent through injury for four games before returning to the bench for Saturday’s match at Selhurst Park, which has to be good news for the Magpies. Yoane Wissa scored in Newcastle’s third match this season, away to Tottenham, but overall has scored once in eight starts this season.
Everton vs Newcastle Team News and Injury Updates
Everton
Jarrad Branthwaite missed the Arsenal defeat owing to concussion protocols, but could be available again, while Jack Grealish was unavailable owing to an unspecified illness. Vitalii Mykolenko picked up a knock during the Arsenal match and is being assessed. An already-thin squad can ill-afford to lose key players to the treatment room.
Newcastle
Lewis Miley (muscle injury) missed the Palace game, as did Matias Fernandez-Pardo following a thigh issue/illness, and reports on Tuesday suggested that they were doubtful for this tie. Tino Livramento (knee) remains on the sidelines
Everton vs Newcastle Predicted Line-Ups
Everton: Travers; Maitland-Niles, Tarkowski, Keane, O’Brien; Armstrong, Garner; Johnson, Dewsbury-Hall, George; Barry
Newcastle: Pope; Dedić, Thiaw, Botman, Hall; Nico, Willock; Murphy, Wissa, Barnes; Osula
Everton vs Newcastle Head-To-Head Record
These sides have met 25 times this century when Everton have been at home (each time in the league), with Everton’s record being W12 D7 L6 GF41 GA31 . They have scored in 21 of the 25 matches and have scored more than two goals in 13 of the 25 matches, but in just one of the last seven.
Newcastle have failed to score in nine of the 25 games referred to, including three of the last five, although they have scored four goals in two of their last four visits to Everton, which includes last season on their first visit to the Hill Dickinson Stadium (they won 4-1). They have scored two or more goals in 10 of the 25 games.
- In 12 of the 25 games, one side has failed to score
- In 15 of the 25, there have been over 2.5 goals scored
- In 9 of the 25, there have been over 3.5 goals
Everton vs Newcastle Prediction and Best Bets
This is likely to be a tight game, with defeat for either side putting a dampener on their season. As things would have it, they will meet again on Monday at St James’s Park in the Premier League.
With home advantage, I take Everton to edge it, with 1-0 or 2-1 scorelines favoured.
BEST BET: Everton to win (23/20)
