Soccer English Premier League Prediction

Everton vs Newcastle - Match Preview

⚽ 27 April 2023 - 18:45 GMT +0

Despite being reduced to ten men late in the game, a determined Everton halted an in-form Crystal Palace with a 0-0 draw at Selhurst Park on Saturday, extending their record to just two defeats in seven Premier League (PL) outings. Even still, a hefty four draws within that run contributed to the Toffees slipping back into the relegation zone by virtue of goal difference heading into this midweek round.

Manager Sean Dyche labelled Saturday’s result as a “point earned” and he’ll know just how important it will be to follow that up with a win here, but to do so they’ll have to overcome the psychological hurdle of just one win from the last six PL H2Hs with Newcastle United. That one win did come in this fixture last season and sparked a crucial streak of four undefeated home PL games (W3, D1) during the run-in which ultimately helped the Blues avoid the drop, a feat Dyche will certainly be eager to repeat.

It’s fair to say Newcastle are a different animal this season as they showed emphatically at the weekend when they scored a remarkable five goals in 21 minutes en route to humiliating fellow top-four contenders Tottenham 6-1. Only Manchester City have scored five PL goals earlier in a game (vs Watford, 2019) and overall, the Toon Army have now netted a total of 54 league goals, their most since 2002/03 (also 54) which was a season they went onto finish third.

With a yawning gap to fifth place, Newcastle fans are rightfully dreaming of famous Champions League nights back at St James’ Park and another win here would take them one step closer to that goal. However, Goodison Park hasn’t actually been a happy hunting ground for the Magpies, who have won only one of their last ten visits (D3, L6) - a run that includes last season’s defeat here which also ominously fell on a Thursday night!

📋 Players to watch: After ten games out, Dominic Calvert-Lewin returned to Everton’s starting XI at Selhurst Park and he’s registered six goal contributions (G5, A1) in his last seven matches against Newcastle. Callum Wilson was on the goal trail at the weekend and the Newcastle man also loves this fixture, netting six goals in his last five PL H2H games.

⚡ Hot stat: Dyche has won six of his nine PL meetings with Newcastle's Eddie Howe (L3), his most wins against any manager in the competition.

Everton vs Newcastle - Match Preview

⚽ 27 April 2023 - 18:45 GMT +0

Many Southampton fans may have been content with a point away from Premier League (PL) leaders Arsenal ahead of Friday’s contest. However, Saints boss Rubén Sellés lamented the eventual 3-3 draw as feeling like they’ve “dropped two points” considering the Saints led 2-0 and 3-1 in that game. Subsequently, their winless run now stands at seven games (D3, L4), and with a yawning gap to safety, the rock-bottom club need a winning run quickly.

This could be an ideal fixture to begin the Saints’ road to redemption as they’re handed an opportunity to record a first winning league double against South Coast rivals Bournemouth since the pair were in League One back in 2010/11. However, hindering them in that aim may be the fact that Southampton are the only PL side averaging fewer points per game at home (0.63) than away (0.88), with just two wins from 16 home league matches (W2, D4, L10).

A run of three wins from Bournemouth’s last five games means they can’t end this round in the bottom three, although a 4-0 thumping at the hands of West Ham in the previous round suggests there is still work to be done. Cherries boss Gary O’Neil was fairly relaxed in his assessment that his side “couldn’t cope” with their opponents, but that they remain in a good place ahead of this clash.

An improvement on the road has boosted the Cherries’ survival bid with back-to-back away league wins ahead of this round, which represents as many travelling successes as they had recorded in their first 14 trips (W2, D2, L10). Another victory would break a pair of records though, as Bournemouth have never put together a three-game winning run of away PL games, whilst Southampton have never lost more than ten home league games in a season!

📋 Players to watch: Carlos Alcaraz was controversially substituted at half-time against Arsenal despite scoring and assisting for Southampton; the Argentine also scored the only goal in his side’s last home win. Bournemouth’s last two league wins both came away from home and Dominic Solanke contributed to three of their four goals across those victories (G1, A2).

⚡ Hot streak: Bournemouth are winless in each of their last nine PL games played between Tuesday and Thursday (D2, L7).

Everton vs Newcastle - Match Preview

⚽ 27 April 2023 - 19:15 GMT +0

Less than one month after showing Antonio Conte the door, Tottenham are onto their third manager of the season, with Ryan Mason taking over from the sacked Cristian Stellini until the end of the season. Their embarrassing 6-1 defeat at Newcastle on Sunday was described as ‘wholly unacceptable’ by chairman Daniel Levy, who has acted quickly in a bid to resurrect his club’s dwindling top-four hopes.

Defeat here could leave Spurs nine points short of that ambition if Newcastle also wins, while it would also see them on the receiving end of three consecutive Premier League (PL) losses for the first time since February 2022. The visit of Manchester United, therefore, comes at an inopportune time, as no side in PL history has more wins against Tottenham than the Red Devils (39).

That includes a current four-match H2H winning streak for United, who return to the capital in a buoyant mood after progressing to the FA Cup final at the weekend, outlasting Brighton 7-6 on penalties. Fatigue may be a factor after a gruelling 120 minutes, while no side in Europe has played more games than United’s 53 so far this term. Manager Erik ten Hag is showing no signs of letting up, describing a top-four finish as ‘so important for a club that ‘belong in the UEFA Champions League.

The Red Devils’ charge is being powered by a strong defence which boasts the most PL clean sheets (14), helped by four shutouts in their last five league matches (W3, D1, L1). That solidity wasn’t on display in their last away assignment when they were dumped out of Europe by Sevilla, but each of United’s last six losses on the road was followed by a victory, so they should be confident of getting back on the winning trail here.

📋 Players to watch: Tottenham shining light Harry Kane needs just one goal to level United legend Wayne Rooney as the PL’s second-highest scorer of all time, but he hasn’t recorded a home goal against the Red Devils since May 2017. Impressing of late for ten Hag’s men has been Antony, who scored and assisted in his side’s latest PL outing - a 2-0 win away at Nottingham Forest.

⚡ Hot stat: Tottenham are without a home draw in the PL since December 2021 (W18, L8).