A difficult home match against Everton awaits this weekend as the team look to bounce back from the disappointing 2-0 defeat at West Ham last weekend.
To add to the disappointment, Sean Longstaff came away from that game with an injury that will rule him out for the remainder of the season. The 21-year old has really impressed during his time in the first team after stepping up in the absence of Ki Sung-Yueng. Longstaff and Isaac Hayden formed a formidable partnership in the centre of the midfield so Longstaff impressed so much that Ki's return to regular first team football has been delayed since he returned from International duty for the Asia Cup.
Latest form between the two sides over the past decade certainly favour Everton however before then, this was not the case as we would usually run out as winners against Everton especially at home. In this fixture back in December 2002, we came from behind to beat the Toffees at St. James' Park with a helping hand from a ferocious volley from Alan Shearer, one of the best, if not the best, of the record 206 goals he scored for the club.
In relation to recent times, when Salomon Rondon opened the scoring in the reverse fixture at Goodison Park in December, it was the first goal Newcastle had scored against Everton in four years when Alan Pardew won his final match in charge of Newcastle, winning 3-2 (more information below).
In terms of off the field matters, the two sides met on BT Sport's Fan TV: Call Youself A Fan? (available to watch on Newcastle Fans TV YouTube channel). Myself and Lee (Lawler) teamed up with comedian, Ben and three of us never got a question wrong against Everton who were represented by the famous Speedo Mick. Newcastle won 13-2. I wonder if the team will just as well on Saturday.
Facts and Figures
All Competitions
Everton wins: 67
Newcastle wins: 63
Draws: 35
Premier League
Everton wins: 20
Newcastle wins: 17
Draws: 10
Premier League at St. James' Park
Newcastle wins: 12
Everton wins: 7
Draws: 4
Previous ten (all competitions)
Everton wins: 8 (20 goals)
Newcastle wins: 1 (7 goals)
Draws: 1
Biggest win: Newcastle United 8 - 2 Everton (07/11/1959)
Biggest defeat: Newcastle United 0 - 4 Everton (26/12/1986)
Memory Lane
Newcastle United 3 - 2 Everton - 28/12/2014 (Premier League)
Alan Pardew's final match in charge before leaving for 18th placed Crystal Palace. The club were still in the top half when John Carver took over the reins for the rest of the season.
Jak Alnwick: Stand in goalkeeper for the injured Tim Krul and Rob Elliot. The young shot-stopper (and I mean that in the loosest sense possible) played a key part as he came off the bench to make his debut in the win against Chelsea at the start of December. Three defeats followed before this win against Everton.
Daryl Janmaat: The Dutch full back provided the assist for Colback's goal. Janmaat picked him out as the local lad tried to get in behind and capitalised on Ross Barkley's mistake.
Mike Williamson: In his penultimate season at Newcastle, Williamson finally grabbed his first of two goals for the club. In this game, he was proving to be a threat from set pieces and managed to assist Cisse's equaliser by nodding the ball down to the Senegalese striker from Tiote's cross. The centre-back, who spent six years at Newcastle, now plays for Gateshead in the National League.
Fabricio Coloccini:
Paul Dummett:
Cheick Tiote: This was a match where Tiote was at his unplayable best. He played a part in Cisse's goal and, just after half time, grabbed the assist for Perez's goal to give Newcastle the lead.
Jack Colback: Extended Newcastle's lead halfway through the second half after latching on to Ross Barkley's failed attempted clearance. It was his first goal for the club but he did score at that goal at the Gallowgate end earlier in 2014 when he played his last Tyne-Wear derby as a Sunderland player.
Moussa Sissoko:
Ayoze Perez: Perez was in good goalscoring form following his move from Tenerife the previous summer which continued as he scored a goal after 51 minutes to give Newcastle the lead after going behind early on. He received the ball from Tiote's forward pass and the Spaniard struck the ball through Seamus Coleman's legs before going past the helpless Joel Robles in goal.
Yoan Gouffran:
Papiss Cisse: This was a season that Cisse found the net regularly once more and came close to recapturing the goalscoring form he achieved after moving to the club in January 2012. In this match, he scored the equalising goal after 34 minutes to cancel out Arouna Kone's opening goal.