Everton’s job in European race six-pointer vs Newcastle has been made significantly easier
With no FA Cup action for Everton, David Moyes’ attentions remain on their Premier League campaign.
Everton are enduring a mixed bag of form at the moment, having won one, drawn one and lost one from their last three Premier League games.
Moyes‘ side are still on for a good season though, with the Toffees sitting eighth in the table, which would be their highest top flight finish since they claimed that spot in the 2018-19 season.
However, the move to Hill Dickinson Stadium demands more than that from Everton, with European football undoubtedly the target moving forward in the blue half of Merseyside.
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Why Everton’s trip to Newcastle has just become easier
At this stage of the season, managers are looking for any bit of help they can get ahead of a tough game, in any way, shape or form they can get it.
With just 12 games of the season to go, Everton are just about hanging on in the race for European football for 2026-27, but they’re also perilously close from dropping out of it too.
Chelsea currently sit fifth on 44 points, with the Toffees in eighth on 37, and Moyes knows that his side are going to have to be at their very best in the coming weeks if they are to snatch a European place.
As detailed in the above graphic from Sofascore, Everton could particularly do with some improvement in their set-piece department, in particularly free-kicks, with none of their 29 goals coming from them this term.
Those situations will definitely be seeing work put into them on the training pitch ahead of some big games against Man United, Newcastle, Arsenal and Chelsea in the next month or so.
But, the Toffees have just been handed a significant boost to their chances of a result against Newcastle on 28 February, with Magpies boss Eddie Howe losing one of his best players, Bruno Guimaraes.
As reported by the BBC Match of the Day via X, the Newcastle captain and talismanic midfielder is now facing two months on the sideline with a hamstring injury, and so he won’t play any part against Everton.
The 28-year-old Brazilian has scored nine goals and provided four assists in 23 Premier League games this season, and leaves Howe’s midfield options stretched thin.
Everton’s recent record at St James’ Park
St James’ Park is notorious for being one of the toughest away venues to go to and get a result as a travelling side in the Premier League.
The Tynesiders boast a loud and proud fanbase that always make life tough for opposing teams, and with the Magpies just one point behind Everton as things stand, it’s a huge game in both sides’ campaigns.
However, the recent history books certainly favour Newcastle when playing Everton on home soil, as the Toon have won three of the last five games between the two at St James’.
Everton do have the most recent victory in the fixture on Tyneside, with a 1-0 win on the final day of the 2024-25 season, thanks to 65th-minute winner from Carlos Alcaraz.
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