Callum Wilson shares ‘big’ Everton admission ahead of clash v Newcastle
Callum Wilson believes it’s a “big” game for Newcastle United when they face Everton on Thursday (7 December).
Speaking on the BBC’s Footballer’s Football Podcast on Tuesday (5 December, 39:34), the England international said the Toffees are “going to be fighting” because they will feel aggrieved on the back of their 10-point deduction for breaching the Premier League’s financial rules.
But the 31-year-old added that the Magpies have to be beating teams in the bottom half such as the Blues when they make the trip to Goodison Park as they are the “bread and butter” games.
Asked for his thoughts ahead of Newcastle’s upcoming fixtures against Everton and Tottenham, Wilson said: “We’ve got two big games, two different games.
“A team that is going to be fighting because they’re going to feel they’ve been aggrieved with all the decisions that have gone on with the league and things like that, so they need to claw back the points that have been deducted from them.
“You have to take points in most of the games from the teams in the bottom half of the table and that’s where your bread and butter is. Your ones in and around you become six-pointers because you’re beating those teams, they don’t become six-pointers if you’re losing to your Everton’s and losing to the Bournemouth’s like we did.
“You have to beat Everton, get your three points on the board and then, all of a sudden – depending on what happens between West Ham and Tottenham – you might be on level points.”
Challenge
It’s certainly going to be a challenge for Everton to pick up points against Newcastle on the back of their excellent form over the past couple of seasons.
While the Magpies haven’t been quite as consistent during the opening few months of this campaign, they have given most teams a good game and picked up some big scalps along the way.
Eddie Howe’s side’s injury situation does provide the Toffees with an opportunity, though, as several first-team players won’t be available at Goodison Park.
Wilson is one of those players who won’t be involved after he picked up a hamstring injury in their Champions League game against Dortmund in November and is expected to be out for a few more weeks.
After the Blues’ performances have been solid over the past couple of months, Sean Dyche will be full of confidence that his side can go out there and pick up a positive result.
In other Everton news, a Toffees-linked player has responded to speculation around his future.