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David Moyes anticipates a completely different match when Everton visits Newcastle United in the Premier League on Monday, merely four days after eliminating them from the EFL Cup. The Toffees secured a 3-1 victory in that fourth-round cup tie at Hill Dickinson Stadium, with goals from James Garner, Hayden Hackney, and Thierno Barry.
Situation in the League
The upcoming league rematch takes place with Newcastle positioned 12th in the standings following an inconsistent start under Matthias Jaissle, while Everton sits one point behind in 14th place. Moyes’ squad has recently struggled in the league, recording consecutive 2-0 defeats against Chelsea and Arsenal, preceded by a 2-2 draw with Hull City following the international break.
Despite his team’s impressive performance against Newcastle in the cup, Moyes does not expect a smooth encounter on Monday. As reported by SoccerNews, Moyes stated to reporters, “It’s a different ball game, going to St. James’ Park on a Monday evening. They’ve got a great crowd up there, so you always know you’re up against it.” He added, “But we go up there with confidence. We have played Newcastle a couple of times this year and done really well.”
Moyes is managing a small squad due to a modest transfer window and recent ownership developments, yet he refuses to seek excuses. He expressed that they do not accept any excuses regarding ownership or the transfer window, noting that he wants the players to avoid looking for excuses and praising their strong efforts.
Defensive Concerns for Newcastle
During the opening eight Premier League matchdays of the season, Newcastle faced a league-high 138 shots, while only three teams conceded more expected goals with 13.7 xG. The Magpies have encountered 15 or more shots in six of their eight fixtures, sharing that joint-most record with Coventry City.
Jaissle acknowledged that these defensive issues require urgent attention. He stated that the team must work on reducing the goals they concede and avoiding individual mistakes, particularly when opponents are not dominating the pitch, emphasizing the need for improvement ahead of Monday’s match.
Players to Watch
For Newcastle United, Jacob Murphy recorded his second Premier League assist in 37 appearances during matchday eight against Crystal Palace, bringing his total to 31 assists in the competition for the club. This places him joint-third among Magpies players in the competition alongside Rob Lee, trailing only Nolberto Solano with 54 and Alan Shearer with 35.
For Everton, James Tarkowski leads the Premier League this season with 63 duels won and boasts the best duel success rate among 280 players contesting 20 or more, standing at 78%. Since his first Premier League start in April 2017, he also leads all players in total duels won at 2,296, aerial duels won at 1,398, and shots blocked at 491.
Match Statistics and Outlook
In addition to Thursday’s cup exit, Newcastle has secured only one victory in their last six Premier League fixtures against Everton with two draws and three losses, after winning five of the previous six encounters. Furthermore, the Magpies have suffered 21 defeats in their last 32 Premier League Monday fixtures, including losses to Leeds United and Coventry City this season.
Everton enters the match searching to end a nine-match away winless run in the league since a 3-2 victory at Newcastle in February, marking their longest such drought since 2024. The Toffees also aim to avoid three consecutive league defeats for the first time under Moyes since October 2011, with the Opta supercomputer designating Newcastle as favorites carrying a 46% win probability compared to Everton’s 27.3% and a 26.7% chance of a draw.
