The 2025/26 Premier League season resumes this week with Gameweek 28, with the latest round of fixtures kick-starting on Friday. The action on Saturday will kick off with the game between Bournemouth and Sunderland before continuing with three simultaneous matches, including Newcastle United vs Everton at St. James’ Park.
Newcastle United would have hoped for much better fortunes in the 2025/26 season, even though they are in the UEFA Champions League round of 16. However, the Magpies are 11th in the Premier League standings after winning only ten of their 27 outings thus far. So, returning to the Champions League will be a tall order for the Tyneside outfit unless they embark on a roaring run in the coming months.
On the other hand, Everton’s topsy-turvy ride in the 2025/26 Premier League season continued earlier this week, as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Manchester United. The Toffees have lost their last two games, but they remain only three points behind seventh-placed Brentford. So, David Moyes will be cautiously hopeful about securing European qualification for the 2026/27 season.
The reverse fixture saw Newcastle United cruise to a 4-1 win over Everton, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scoring the consolation goal for the Merseyside outfit. The Hard Tackle looks closer at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Eddie Howe has no new injury concerns hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. The Newcastle United manager may be bereft of the services of half a dozen first-team players vs Everton on Saturday.
Howe is sweating over Jacob Ramsey’s fitness, with the English midfielder recovering from a hamstring injury. The summer arrival faces a late fitness test to determine his availability. Meanwhile, Valentino Livramento (hamstring), Fabian Schar (ankle), Emil Krafth (knee), Bruno Guimaraes (thigh), and Lewis Miley (thigh) remain in the treatment room.
Nick Pope is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Newcastle United lining up in a 4-3-3 formation in front of him vs Everton on Saturday. The backline will feature Kieran Trippier, Malick Thiaw, Dan Burn, and Lewis Hall.
As for the midfield unit, Joe Willock will line up alongside Sandro Tonali and Joelinton in the middle of the park if Ramsey is not fit and ready to take on Everton. Finally, Anthony Gordon will lead the line for Newcastle United against Everton, with Anthony Elanga and Harvey Barnes being the two wide attackers. So, Nick Woltemade and Yoane Wissa will be among the backup options on the bench for the home side.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Pope; Trippier, Thiaw, Burn, Hall; Willock, Tonali, Joelinton; Elanga, Gordon, Barnes
Unlike his counterpart in the Newcastle United dugout, David Moyes has received a positive update on the team news front ahead of the trip to St. James’ Park. The Everton manager will be without only three first-team players on Saturday.
Jake O’Brien is available after serving a suspension in the Premier League clash with Manchester United earlier this week. However, Jack Grealish (foot) and Carlos Alcaraz (unspecified) remain in the treatment room, while backup goalkeeper Mark Travers faces a late fitness test to determine his availability.
Jordan Pickford is an automatic pick between the sticks, with Everton lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of him vs Newcastle United on Saturday. The backline will feature Jake O’Brien, James Tarkowski, Michael Keane, and Jarrad Branthwaite.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past James Garner and Idrissa Gueye in the double pivot. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall will reprise the no. 10 role, with Iliman Ndiaye and Harrison Armstrong being the two wide attackers. Finally, Thierno Barry will spearhead the Everton attack against Newcastle United on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; O’Brien, Tarkowski, Keane, Branthwaite; Garner, Gueye; Armstrong, Dewsbury-Hall, Ndiaye; Barry
While Thierno Barry, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali were viable candidates for this section, we have picked Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall as the Player to Watch for Saturday’s Premier League clash between Newcastle United and Everton at St. James’ Park.
Dewsbury-Hall has the most goal involvements (4) for Everton in Premier League away games this season (G3 A1), with the Toffees winning all three away matches in which he has either scored and/or assisted (vs Wolverhampton Wanderers, Manchester United, and Fulham). So, the English midfielder will be the go-to player for David Moyes this weekend.
Recent clashes between Newcastle United and Everton put the two teams on an even keel, and they are also on similar runs since the start of February, with the away side slightly better Eddie Howe’s men. So, all signs point towards these sides engaging in a closely-contested affair this weekend.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Anthony Gordon will be the players under the spotlight, and we may not see either team being better than the other. So, The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-2 draw for Saturday’s Premier League clash between Newcastle United and Everton at St. James’ Park.
