​Newcastle United travel to Goodison Park on Thursday to face an Everton team desperate for points in their race to avoid relegation.
 
Sitting in the drop zone on 28 points Everton have picked up maximum points on only six occasions this season and they go into Thursday night’s fixture against a Newcastle side that have won six of their last eight games home and away.
 
Since the euphoria of picking up six points from two wins in their first three games following the appointment of Sean Dyche as manager in late January Everton have failed to capitalise, winning only one of their next nine games. 
 
It comes as no surprise therefore that their flirtation with relegation is starting take on the look of a relationship of a more permanent variety.
 
Speaking at his press conference ahead of the game Dyche stated there will be late calls on Seamus Coleman and Amadou Onana after the pair returned to training 
 
Coleman and Onana have missed the Blues' last two games with hamstring and groin issues respectively.
 
Abdoulaye Doucoure is back in contention for a place in the starting line-up following a three-match suspension following his sending off against Tottenham Hotspur earlier this month.
 
However, Mason Holgate misses out, as he serves a one-match suspension after his dismissal against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
 
Eddie Howe meanwhile has fitness doubts over defender Fabian Schar who is suffering from a hamstring strain suffered during Sunday’s 6-1 demolition of Spurs. 
 
If the Swiss International is unavailable, then Howe will more than likely call on club captain Jamaal Lascelles as his replacement. 
 
The only other downside for Howe selection wise is that the game will come too early for Allan Saint-Maximin to make a return as the mercurial Frenchman recovers from his hamstring injury. 
 
A hot reception undoubtedly awaits Anthony Gordon as he returns to Goodison Park for the first time since his £45million transfer to Newcastle in January. 
 
Talking at his press conference Howe was keen to play down talk of Sundays performance and preferred to talk about what he expects from his team going forward into the final weeks of the season. 
 
When pressed, Howe emphasised such, saying: "When you look at the performance as a whole and the team as a whole, I think we've got a long way to go to be the team we want to be. Definitely, huge improvements in my time here but we want more.
 
On achieving those improvements Howe said: "It's a constant process, it's always evolving so through our training and everything we try to deliver to the players on a daily basis, we're always trying to improve how we deliver the ball up the pitch.”
 
"There's a lot of work which goes into it, the players deserve huge amount of credit for stats like that because the mentality of the team has to be right. We have to always want to attack and try to impose ourselves and try to score.”
 
"But doing it in a controlled way, so we don't lose our balance or control of the game."
 
"We want to continue to evolve in different ways, and I've got plans and ideas in my head."
 
Newcastle will be backed by 3,000 supporters inside a sold out Goodison Park in what promises to be a white-hot atmosphere.
 
 
 

​Newcastle United continued their imperious form at Goodison Park as they ran out 4-1 winners against a shell-shocked Everton team and in doing so took another giant step towards Champions League football returning to Tyneside next season.
 
With six games to play the Magpies find themselves two points clear of fourth place Manchester United and crucially eight points clear of Spurs and Aston Villa and nine points clear of Liverpool.
 
However, a cautious Eddie Howe speaking immediately after the game said that they are taking nothing for granted, despite having a top-four finish all but secured.
 
"It puts us in a lot stronger position. To get six points from Tottenham and Everton is a great return”.
"It was always going to be a difficult game for us, but we handled the occasion well in a hostile environment”.
"The first goal was going to be crucial. It was probably our best move, and it came at a good time for us”.
"The confidence was there, and it was evident in the second half. Maybe a bit of the edge of the game had gone, but I think we had to earn the right to get to that point because Everton put us under pressure in the first half”.
"We know nothing is taken for granted from our perspective."
 
But behind Howe’s comments sit an air of confidence among supporters not seen around Tyneside for many years. And rightly so. 
 
After a dip in form leading up to their Carabao Cup Final appearance Newcastle have picked up maximum seven out of the last nine league games scoring 23 goals with 10 goals coming in their last two games. 
 
And in doing so they have shaken off the tag of draw specialists. 
 
Having conceded only 26 goals this season Newcastle sit holding the title of meanest defence in the league and while their defence has proved to be Howe’s bedrock in his teams rise; the squad are adding goals-a-plenty and in doing so converting those draws to wins.
 
The return to form after illness and injury of striker Callum Wilson has been one of the main drivers and in Alexander Isak, they now have an additional striker with more than an eye for goal.
 
Between them they have 23 goals this season with Wilson currently shading it on 13 goals to Isak’s 11.
 
Howe chose to rest Isak; with him taking up a seat on the bench and it was Wilson in the 35th minute who got the opening goal of the game; somewhat against the run of play, as Newcastle stuttered to get any fluency into their game.
 
And it wasn’t until Joelinton's header in the 72nd minute allowed the travelling 3,200 Newcastle supporters who made the journey to Goodison to celebrate with a little more confidence that the three points would be heading back to Tyneside.
 
Wilson then grabbed his second just a few minutes later but any thoughts of a grandstand finish from Everton were unfounded as McNeil's effort proved to be mere consolation when substitute Isak set up Murphy for a goal line tap in after some of the most sublime skills saw Isak turn an ever chasing posse of Everton defenders not once, not twice but in some cases three and four times as he danced first down the touchline then the byline to give Murphy his third goal in two games.
 
This may prove to be a costly defeat for Everton in their fight to avoid the drop and they must now pick themselves up when they head to the King Power on Monday to face fellow strugglers Leicester City - the start of five vital games in a bid to avoid relegation from the top-flight for the first time in 72 years.
 
Newcastle United meanwhile return to action on Sunday afternoon when the visitors to fortress St James’ Park are bottom club Southampton. And while three points won’t see the champagne corks popping just yet, the toon army will certainly be in the spirit to get the party started!
 
 

​Newcastle United took a huge step towards seeing European football return to Tyneside next season as they demolished Tottenham Hotspur 6-1 in front of a packed house at St. James' Park on Sunday afternoon
 
It was billed as close encounter; the premier league’s fourth placed team playing fifth. Two teams with champions league aspirations and both coming off poor performances in their previous league fixtures.
 
However, what the 52,252 inside St James’ Park witnessed laid waste to that billing as with five goals in the first 21 minutes, Newcastle simply tore Spurs apart.
 
The rout started in the first minute when a Hugo Lloris could only parry a goal bound shot from Joelinton into the path of the alert Jacob Murphy who lifted the ball over the despairing Lloris into the roof of the net.
 
On six minutes it was 2:0 when the ever- dangerous Joelinton latched on to an exquisite pass from Fabien Schar. The Brazilian skipped round the onrushing Lloris and duly rolled the ball into the bottom corner.
 
The only think of note that Spurs had managed to show was that they were capable of taking a kick off and they were back doing just that for the fourth time of asking on nine minutes after Jacob Murphy was given all the time in the world in midfield to collect a pass from Schar, turn, take a couple of touches and then unleash a perfectly timed shot from 30 yards which rifled into Lloris’s right hand corner without him even so much as noticing.
 
Eddie Howe had demanded a positive response from his players after last weeks poor showing at Villa Park but even he could not have imagined his team being three goals up inside the first 9 minutes. 
 
Spurs could simply not live with Newcastle’s pace and power. Howe’s team were unstoppable. They were first in every challenge; every tackle; every loose ball. 
 
Newcastle were now totally dominant. Their pressing, movement and quick interplay when winning back possession was proving to be Spurs undoing as they failed to measure up to the task and in Guimaraes, Newcastle had the orchestrator of everything that was good about their play; supported by the ever-reliable Longstaff and the willing running of Joe Willock. 
 
On 19 minutes Dan Burn thwarted a feeble Spurs attack and found Guimaraes who rolled the ball into the path of Willock. However even the Brazilian could not have expected what happened next, as Willock took the pass in his stride and hit a forty-yard pass with the outside of his right foot that split the Spurs defence in two, with the ball falling perfectly into the path of Alexander Isak. The Swedish International took two touches and then stroked the ball past the despairing Lloris. 
 
On 21 minutes it was 5:0 as not for the first time Newcastle’s passing and movement cut through the Sours back line when, from a short free‑kick the ball reached Sean Longstaff. His smart layoff to Isak saw the Swede direct an angled shot into the bottom corner. 
 
Never in recent times had St James’ Park witnessed such an opening 21 minutes and as Spurs supporters nestled high up in level 7 decided they had seen enough and headed for the exits the delirious toon army rejoiced in having witnessed 21 minutes of something truly special.
 
Spurs Interim Manager Cristian Stellini seemed just as shocked as his team and the only answer he could now come up with to stop a rampant Newcastle United was to resort to switching to a back five but in truth there was no way back for Spurs.
 
On the pitch Spurs looked rudderless and leaderless and this seemed to be replicated on the touchline, with Stellini despairingly trying to get instructions out to his shellshocked team only to see them thwarted by what looked like a lack of desire to take the messages in. 
 
the only real surprise on offer now to the partying masses of the toon army was seeing their team failing to add to their five unanswered goals as they headed down the tunnel at half time.
 
Hugo Lloris failed to come out for the second half as he was replaced by former Newcastle keeper Fraser Forster and within four minutes of the restart Spurs pulled a goal back through Harry Kane but there was no real chance of a revival and on 61 minutes substitute Callum Wilson restored the five goal advantage within seconds of replacing Isak.
 
Reflecting on his side’s performance Eddie Howe was full of praise for his team "It's not often you have a start like that in a game, especially one of such importance," Howe said.
"That's the reaction we wanted. It was an incredible start to the match from us. I thought we were very good. The crowd were incredible for us and we elevated our performance during that opening half an hour.
 
Meanwhile, in his post-match interview Stellini was left puzzled by the performance, admitting his side were not prepared for what they were faced with.
 
"It went so badly because we were not prepared enough to play an important match," he told Sky Sports.
 
"We have a good squad but today no-one showed how good we are. It was my responsibility to decide how we play, and we decided to do it differently because of the injuries. It is my responsibility; I took it, and it was wrong.
 
"I have to take responsibility because once we changed system we played better, scored and showed fight. It's very difficult to understand why the first 25 minutes were so bad."
 
However, sadly for Stellini that responsibility was taken out of his hands when within 24 hours, Spurs dispensed with his services and those of the remnants of the already departed Antonio Conte’s backroom team. 
 
Football can be a harsh game!

​Newcastle United return from their travels to what will be a white-hot atmosphere at St James’ Park when they walk out to face their visitors Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday Afternoon.
 
With both teams having aspirations of Champions League qualification there is a lot to play for. A win would see Newcastle United jump back into third place in the premier League and at the same time open a six-point gap between themselves and the Londoners; while Tottenham need the points to remain part of the three horse race for the two places on offer . 
 
Both teams are coming into this fixture off the backs of poor performances last weekend and their respective managers will be looking for their sides to bounce back to winning ways to keep their European football hopes alive.
 
In his pre match press conference on Friday morning Eddie Howe emphasized how important this game is having seen their five match winning run come to an end at Villa Park last weekend. 
 
"It's a huge game for us - there's no denying that at this stage of the season, with the games running out. We're playing one of our competitors in the league so it's a big moment in our season.
 
"We're pleased to be at home and hopefully we can feel the force of the crowd. This week we certainly need everyone united in the game which I'm sure we will be, and hopefully we can respond to last week's disappointment."
 
Howe also talked about their destiny remaining very much in their own hands and being already three points clear of Spurs, they could stretch that lead to six.
 
"It could be (significant). I think a lot will depend on this week we have coming up, to be honest. We've got Tottenham on Sunday and a three-game week. They're huge moments because there's nine points to play for and we have to maximise that time. Hopefully we can go into the three-game week in a good place."
 
Newcastle face struggling Everton at Goodison Park on Thursday evening before the current bottom club Southampton arrive at St James’ Park on Sunday week.
 
Howe will have to make do without his French winger Alan St Maximin who is still out with a thigh injury while Miguel Almiron should be available for selection but may have to settle for a place on the bench. 
 
Spurs caretaker manager Christian Stellini meanwhile is possibly without seven of his squad tomorrow through injury as French Defender Clement Lenglet likely joining the already unavailable Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, Emerson Royal, Lucas Moura and Ryan Sessegnon. Stellini however hopes he can call on Ben Davies.
 
Speaking when he met the press on Friday, Cristian said: “Ben is very close to coming back. Tomorrow, we will see if he can train with us (full training) for the first time. It’s been a long time, so maybe this is the best news we have, but we are happy to have him back in training with us.”
 
Would he be ready for Newcastle? “We don’t know,” added Cristian. “It’s a risk, so we have to decide tomorrow, but it’s important Ben is back for the next week.”
 
One person who definitely wont be at St James’s Park is Spurs Managing Director Fabio Paratici who resigned from the role on Friday morning.
 
Paratici’s resignation came less than 24 hours after his failed appeal to overturn a 30-month ban imposed by Italy's sporting authorities for financial irregularities connected to his time in a similar role at Juventus.
 

​Newcastle Utd’s form deserted them at Villa Park on an afternoon that they will quickly want to forget as they went down to a 3:0 defeat to a very impressive Aston Villa.
 
The contrast in how the two sides planned to go about their business was evident in the first thirty seconds when striker Olly Watkins hit the woodwork with goalkeeper Nick Pope well beaten.
 
Watkins is the Premier leagues in form striker, and it was quickly evident that this was going to be anything but an easy afternoon for the leagues tightest defence.
 
Villa quickly settled into a slick pass and move game that seem to bewilder the Newcastle back line and with little protection coming from their midfield they were constantly exposed by Villa’s neat play. 
 
Villa were proving to be quicker both in pass and thought and took the lead on 11 minutes when Jacob Ramsey latched on to a lovely knockdown from Watkins to fire home from 12 yards. 
 
Minutes later it was Watkins again, this time forcing a good save from Pope with a shot from a tight angle. Newcastle failed to clear and the ball fell to Moreno whose clever square pass fell once again to Ramsey who rattled the crossbar. 
 
Moreno was giving Trippier a torrid time down the Villa left with some insightful runs and link up play. The Spaniard looked more than value for the £12m paid for his services when Unai Emery made him his first signing when he picked him up from Real Betis back in January. 
 
And having gone in level at half time it was more of the same in the second half as Moreno Watkins and Ramsey, ably joined by Buendia and a rejuvenated and re-invigorated John Mc Ginn continued to take the game to their opponents.
 
On the sixtieth minute Moreno unlocked the magpies’ defensive line with a beautiful pass allowing Watkins to latch on and fire home, only to be denied by VAR. 
 
Then two minutes later some fine play from McGinn who slipped the ball to Moreno who in turn found Watkins ten yards out. 
 
Watkins turn and shot slid into the back of the net and as Watkins ran to lap up the adulation of the villa supporters, the onlooking England manager Gareth Southgate must have been decidedly impressed. That was Watkins 12th goal since the world cup break and one he thoroughly deserved for his all-round play.
 
Watkins made it 3-0 on 83 minutes when McGinn and Buendia once again combined linked up. The Argentinian squared to Watkins who planted the ball into the far corner. 
 
Aston Villa were fully deserving of their win, proving to be better in every position.
 
For Newcastle it was very much a day to forget.
 

​Two of the Premier League form teams meet in the weekend’s lunchtime kick off on Saturday as Aston Villa entertain Newcastle United at Villa Park.
 
The Villians go into the fixture sitting in sixth place, having won their last four games while the Magpies occupy the league’s third spot with five straight wins to their name and the form of both teams would suggest that this has the makings of an exciting game not only for supporters of both teams but also for the neutral observer.
 
Villa Manager Unai Emery is expected to once again be without the services of Matty Cash, Boubacar Kamara and Philippe Coutinho. Cash was injured on International duty with Poland with Kamara and Coutinho are still struggling with their respective ankle and thigh injuries but given the form of his side in recent weeks it is doubtful that the non-availability of the trio will be giving Emery sleepless nights as his team look to consolidate their league position and in doing so strengthen their European aspirations.
 
Speaking at his pre match press conference Emery emphasised his top six hopes saying “To go to Europe we have to face other teams who are playing very well. For example, we are now sixth but it’s not real because Brighton have two matches less than us, Liverpool as well and we have to wait for their results and then of course we are going to think to be ambitious but realistic as well.
 
“Now, we can add a new target for the next match; it’s to win and we can be with the possibilities to get the European position.”
 
Eddie Howe meanwhile looks likely to have top scorer Miguel Almiron available for selection again, while there is a doubt surrounding the availability of Alan St Maximin who is reportedly struggling with a hamstring problem. 
 
The mercurial Frenchman has been in fine form of late and should he be ruled out, Howe may decide to start with Callum Wilson alongside Alexander Isak up front with both players showing their goalscoring prowess in recent weeks or he may choose to slot in Almiron back on the right side of an attacking three and move Joelinton into the left side position vacated by St Maximin’s absence.
 
 
 

Newcastle United go into today’s away fixture at Brenford’s Gtech Community Stadium looking for a fifth consecutive win and their third on the road in a run that has seen them bounce back in style after their Carabao Cup final disappointment at Wembley back in February.
 
Many see Newcastle United as the surprise package of the season but the fact that they are sitting in third place on merit comes as no surprise to their supporters. The team have lost only three league games all season and only twice on the road (at Liverpool and Manchester City) and while their form following the World Cup break did appear to dip slightly, they have shown no signs of those post cup disappointment blues that can often inflict both team and supporters alike. 
 
As Tyneside remains buoyant and the team continues to confound its critics; playing a style of football that supporters of other clubs can only dream of, Eddie Howe and his backroom staff have got on with the job at hand; gathering maximum points at home and on the road. 
 
The 2:0 defeat at the reigning champions Manchester City at the beginning of March was neither the foregone conclusion that many predicted, nor the score indicated. But for some poor finishing Howe’s team could have come away with a point; something that did not slip past City Coach Pep Guardiola at the time. 
 
However, the four consecutive wins that followed that defeat to City have Howe’s team looking like real contenders for a Champions League place next season and while Guardiola is not exactly looking over his shoulder as City are currently 11 points clear of Newcastle Utd and challenging Arsenal for the title; both he and Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta must be impressed with the way Eddie Howe has gone about his business this season and any glance back will be very much with next season in mind as it is inevitable that Howe will be looking to strengthen his squad next season with the sort of quality signings that will make Newcastle United real championship contenders.
 
The Gtech Community stadium is one of the smallest grounds in the premier league with a capacity of only 17,250 but its well-designed group of stands on all four sides produces an excellent atmosphere. And that atmosphere will be reinforced backed by 1,750 dedicated and fanatical away supporters as the toon army travel down to London for the second time in four days. 
 
Wednesday nights emphatic 1:5 win at the London Stadium against a shellshocked West Ham United had the away fans in raptures and another win on the road would not come as a surprise. However, Eddie Howe was taking nothing for granted at his pre match media briefing immediately after that victory. 
 
Howe as always takes every match as its comes but the one thing you can guarantee is that he will have his team focused on gaining maximum points.

​Newcastle United made it five straight wins out of five in the premier league with a hard-fought win away to Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
 
In what can only be described as the perfect example of that well known football term “a game of two halves” both teams played their part in a highly entertaining game of football. 
 
Brentford certainly has the better of the first half as the away team found themselves pegged back by a well-organized and resourceful Brentford side playing some exquisite football who seemed like they could carve open the Magpies defence at every given opportunity.
 
It was fast and furious and Newcastle’s back line was struggling to handle the pace and power of former magpie Ivan Toney and his striking partner Kevin Schade on loan from Bundesliga side SC Freiburg and it was no surprise when Toney had the ball in the back of the net after eight minutes; only to see his effort chalked off by the VAR official Darren England. After an extended period of deliberation Toney was deemed to be in an offside when he got on the end of a cross to head the ball past a despairing Nick Pope. 
 
Brentford continued to take the game to their opponents and their relentless endeavour, helped by a very much off the pace Newcastle midfield paid dividends in the 29th minute when the ever-dangerous Schade was brought down in the area by Botman and Brentford were awarded a penalty. 
 
Up stepped Toney and while the Brentford supporters were no doubt already celebrating as he placed the ball on the spot having a record scored 24 consecutive penalties his casual and somewhat unorthodox style for once let him down as he side-footed the ball into the chest of a not so much diving as falling Nick Pope.
 
It was another reprieve for the Geordies as the visiting supporters chanted Pope’s name while lamenting in traditional fashion the despair of the penalty taker.
 
However, their joy was short lived when in the 43rd minute that man Darren England once again intervened from his seat at the VAR headquarters when he was the only person to think that an attempted clearance from Isak was infact a high boot on Rico Henry; sending referee Cavanagh over to the touchline to see for himself on the VAR monitor. 
 
His decision was penalty and again up stepped Toney; this time lifting his spot kick beyond Pope. 
 
At half time coach Eddie Howe made two changes; replacing Murphy and Longstaff with Wilson and Gordon and the changes seemed to re-energise the visitors and shake them from their first half slumbers. 
 
Within six minutes the first half deficit had been turned into a 2:1 lead as first Raya deflected a Joelinton effort into his own goal and then Isak scored with a shot from the edge of the box. 
 
Newcastle were now in the ascendency both in terms of possession and commitment as time after time their tenacity paid off in the middle of the park as Guimaraes and Joelinton became more influential and but for another intervention by the VAR official this time denying Wilson after his turn and low shot found the back of the net only for the goal to be ruled out for a dubious handball against Wilson in the build-up.
 
Brentford did rally in the final 10 minutes and Toney was unfortunate to see a glancing header well saved by Pope, but Newcastle held out and but for some poor finishing the score could have flattered them further had first Guimaraes then Wilson not fluffed their lines in the final minutes.
 
This fifth straight Premier League put Newcastle United back up to third place, level on points with Manchester United who had earlier beaten Everton 2:0 in the lunchtime kick off, For Brentford however have won only one of their last five league games; a mini slump that their coach Thomas Franck will hope to put a stop to when they visit Molineux next Saturday to face a Wolverhampton Wanderers fresh from their win over Chelsea. Newcastle United are next in action back on the road on the same day with a visit to Villa Park, the home of Aston Villa.