Everton visit St. James’ Park looking to make it back-to-back wins over Newcastle United as both sides renew acquaintances in the Premier League on Monday night.
The two sides meet again just days after Everton secured an emphatic 3-1 win over the Magpies in the fourth round of the EFL Cup.
That victory will give the Toffees the confidence to take the game to Newcastle, knowing a win would move them up to seventh in the Premier League table.
However, they’ve struggled to turn their horrendous recent form around.
After starting the season with a 2-0 home win over Crystal Palace, Everton have won just one of their subsequent seven league games (D4, L2).
They’re also visiting Newcastle on the back of consecutive 2-0 defeats against Chelsea and Arsenal, but will fancy their chances of halting that skid.
Everton’s away record has been poor so far. They’ve failed to win any of their opening four league games at the new Hill Dickinson Stadium (D3, L1).
Fortunately, the Toffees have won three of their last four meetings with Newcastle (L1).
Predicted XI;
Everton stalwart Jordan Pickford has kept three clean sheets in eight games and will hope to keep Newcastle out at the second time of asking.
A back four of Merlin Rohl, James Tarkowski, Jarrad Branthwaite, and Vitaliy Mykolenko should join Pickford in that expedition even though they couldn’t stop Dan Burn’s late consolation goal.
Hayden Hackney repaid the manager’s faith with an impressive midweek performance and should reprise his role alongside James Garner in midfield.
Tyler Dibling could keep his spot for a first Premier League start ahead of Brennan Johnson.
The once ‘special’ Welsh winger has struggled since joining the Toffees, so Moyes will likely give Dibling another chance to stake a claim for a first-team berth.
Dibling, who cost Everton £40 million, should be joined in attack by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Tyrique George, while Thierno Barry leads the line.
(4-2-3-1): Pickford; Rohl, Tarkowski, Branthwaite, Mykolenko; Hackney, Garner; Dibling, Dewsbury-Hall, George; Barry.