Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United side travels to Goodison Park on Thursday night to face Sean Dyche’s troubled Everton side.
Everton was recently docked ten points for violating FFP guidelines, dropping them into the Premier League relegation zone as a result.
However, it occurred at a time when Sean Dyche appears to have galvanised the side and gotten them playing some great football again, so it’s unlikely they’ll spend too much time in the relegation zone.
Eddie Howe’s plucky Mags keep picking up points
Meanwhile, Newcastle continues to defy the odds by fielding thin squads against top competition and producing results. Eddie Howe has only 11 first-team players at his disposal, so the team picks itself; the difficult thing is filling the bench. But that hasn’t stopped Newcastle from thrashing Chelsea, humiliating Manchester United, and being denied a last-minute victory over Paris Saint-Germain.
Those results could sway the odds in Newcastle’s favor on Thursday, according to Paul Merson’s Sportskeeda prediction.
“Newcastle have been absolutely phenomenal this season. I have a lot of respect for the way they’ve played. The manager’s great and he improved people – that’s the name of the game when you’re a coach. They’re getting the rewards they deserve.
“Anthony Gordon’s going to get a lot of stick at Goodison Park this week. He’s been great so far, but he won’t be too comfortable against Everton. Newcastle slaughtered United without a lot of their players, and I can’t talk highly enough of them.
“I’d be shocked if Everton got relegated this season. They’ve got a lot of X-factor results in them, and they did well against Villa away from home. Everton can be dangerous on their day and with the three promoted teams struggling in the Premier League, they should be able to stay up.
“Everton are a funny team at home – they’re beating as an away side at the moment. If they’re able to create chances at home, they can cause Newcastle a few problems. I’m not sure if Newcastle can keep pulling off excellent performances every week, but they should be able to win this game.
“Prediction: Everton 1-2 Newcastle United”
If AG10 can keep his head we’ll see it through
We’re not sure which members of Everton’s squad are good vocalists, but we wish them luck on X-Factor while we focus on football.
In all seriousness, a win on Thursday night is far from certain, but it is the most likely outcome.
It all hinges on Anthony Gordon’s ability to hold his cool.
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