Newcastle vs Everton preview, prediction, team news and head-to-head

• Both teams to score

• Over 1.5 goals

• Match to end in a draw

Not long after progressing to the FA Cup fifth round – where they will face Man City – the Magpies qualified for the last 16 of the Champions League for the very first time after thumping Qarabag FK 9-3 on aggregate, with a 6-1 first-leg away win followed by Tuesday's 3-2 second-leg success on home soil.

Before preparing for a tricky European tie against either Barcelona, Eddie Howe’s side must shift their focus back to the Premier League. They are looking to climb back into the top half of the table and reduce the nine-point gap between themselves in 11th and Liverpool in sixth spot.

The Magpies celebrated their first away league win of the season when they beat the Toffees 4-1 in the reverse fixture at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in November.

However, that result seems a lifetime away. Newcastle have lost four of their last five games and are averaging just 1.33 points per game in the division this season, their lowest ratio in a season under Howe.

The Toffees, for their part, have come up with back-to-back defeats in their last two matches and will be under pressure for their next one. Manchester United outplayed them in their last matchup and they will now be looking to make a comeback. 

The upcoming fixture is not going to be an easy one for Everton, though. With 10 wins in 27 games, they are in ninth place on the Premier League points table.

Everton head into this weekend’s clash with Newcastle after winning this exact fixture at St James’ Park by a 1-0 scoreline last season. They are looking to claim successive away wins over the Magpies for the first time since 2012-13 and 2013-14.

However, they were soundly beaten by Newcastle at home earlier in the season, losing 4-1.

Newcastle and Everton have faced each other 187 times, with Everton having the advantage: 76 wins, against 72 victories for Newcastle.

Newcastle midfielder Jacob Ramsey is a doubt after missing the midweek win over Qarabag with a minor hamstring injury. Bruno Guimaraes, Tino Livramento (both hamstring), Fabian Schar (ankle), Lewis Miley (thigh) and Emil Krafth (knee) all remain sidelined.

Sandro Tonali, Joelinton, Joe Willock and even Nick Woltemade are all contenders to start in midfield if Ramsey is not fit to feature. Woltemade could also battle with Yoane Wissa for a start up front, the latter of whom recovered from a minor knock to play as a substitute against Qarabag.

However, Howe may prefer to use former Everton man Anthony Gordon as a centre-forward, even though he has scored just three of his 14 goals this season in the Premier League. Malick Thiaw - who scored twice against Everton earlier this season - is set to be recalled in defence after serving a Champions League ban in midweek.

As for Everton, Jack Grealish (foot) and Carlos Alcaraz (unspecified) are both ruled out through injury. Backup goalkeeper Mark Travers is nursing a wrist/hand issue and will be assessed ahead of kickoff.

However, Jake O'Brien is available to return after missing the loss to Man United through suspension. The Irishman is expected to be recalled at right-back, joining James Tarkowski, Michael Keane and either Jarrad Branthwaite or Vitaliy Mykolenko in the back four.

Newcastle: Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Willock, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes

Everton: Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Branthwaite; Garner, Gueye; Armstrong, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Barry

Newcastle and Everton have both won two, drawn two and lost two of their last six Premier League meetings. There is little to separate these two sides, so a closely-contested battle could be in store this weekend.

The Magpies will be regarded as slight favourites on home soil. However, considering their recent league results at St James’ Park and Everton’s stronger away form, we are backing the Toffees to come away from the North East with a point.

Correct score prediction: Newcastle 1-1 Everton