The Toffees will be looking to put their second half performance at Tottenham right with a better display against Newcastle United tonight.

This season, the improvement in terms of being more competitive is clear for everyone to see, but Everton need to start getting more points on the table.  

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Confidence would have taken a slight hit after the home defeat against Manchester United. The Blue’s didn’t play with the belief that they had shown in the seven unbeaten games prior to that. Unfortunately, the same had to be said about the game at White Hart Lane. The lack of presence at the top end of the pitch looked the biggest issue, at times.

Nursing Dominic Calvert-Lewin into the starting line-up has arguably been Frank Lampard’s biggest challenge during his hectic 10 months at Goodison Park. But continuing to play balls in the air to a 5 ft 8in Neal Maupay is not the way forward.  

Whether it is Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Jamaal Lascelles or Fabian Schar, Newcastle will thrive on direct balls in the air.  

It will be key that Everton address the situation at right back. Seamus Coleman played the opening 67 minutes on Saturday before being brought off for James Garner. Alex Iwobi finished the game there which signifies the lack of depth Lampard had going into the game. Coleman was fantastic earlier in the season against Southampton, but two games in the space of five days would be too much for the 34-year-old. 

Fortunately, in the manager’s press conference, Mason Holgate was passed fit to play at St James’s Park. The 25-year-old defender featured in Everton’s opening four games but suffered a knee injury in the 1-1 draw at Brentford.

Holgate started his senior football career at Everton playing at right back in the absence of club captain Coleman, so it is a role he can occupy whilst Nathan Patterson returns from injury.  

The away side will be relieved to hear Eddie Howe confirm that Allan Saint-Maximin will not be available to run at whoever plays on the right side of the back four.  

Regardless, pundit Paul Merson believes that Newcastle will be too much for Everton to handle. The former Arsenal player said:

“I thought Everton were a bit unlucky last week. They went to Tottenham with a game plan, but you’ve got to make it count. You’re not going to get too many chances in an away game, and Everton should’ve scored in my opinion. I do like what Everton are doing at the moment, but they’ve got to put their chances away. Newcastle have played well under Eddie Howe and should be able to win this game.” 

A real lack of composure in one-on-one situations has already cost Everton a fair few points this season. Amadou Onana and Demarai Gray both missed fantastic opportunities in the first half at Spurs. If they take at least one of those chances, it is a different game.

Lampard’s side have scored the third fewest amount of goals in the league this season. It is a hard one to read considering the defensive stats have improved greatly since last season. They will need to make sure that everyone is potent in front of goal against a rejuvenated Newcastle side who have conceded the least amount of goals so far this season.

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Anthony Gordon is available after serving his suspension at the weekend. Dwight McNeil really struggled, with no real attempt or ambition to get in behind the opposition’s wing-backs. Whether that was an attempt by Lampard to match the opposition’s formation or just provide cover for Vitalii Mykolenko, it went horribly wrong. Gordon remains Everton’s top scorer this season and will be looking to have his say against a side who are unbeaten at home.  

The Goodison Gang have to try find some energy from somewhere because the busy schedule has left them looking exhausted in their last two games. St James’s Park has not been a happy hunting ground for Everton over the years, and tonight’s fixture could be as hard as it has ever been.  

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