Everton vs Newcastle: a knockout cup battle! Who will reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals?
Everton and Newcastle will meet on Thursday, October 29, in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup. The match will be played at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, with kick-off scheduled for 20:45 CET. I am backing the total number of goals in this game.
H2H and statistical facts
- Everton are winless in three straight matches and have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of them.
- Fewer than three goals have been scored in five of Everton's last six matches.
- Everton have yet to concede a goal in the Carabao Cup.
- Both teams have scored in each of the last three meetings between these sides.
Everton
David Moyes' side head into this cup tie after an inconsistent spell in the Premier League. In their most recent matches, Everton drew 2-2 with Hull before losing 2-0 to Chelsea. Prior to that, the Merseyside club beat Ipswich 1-0 and shared the points with Tottenham in a goalless draw. In their previous match, the Toffees suffered an away defeat to Arsenal.
Everton have already come through two rounds of the Carabao Cup. They first cruised past Preston 4-0 before beating Wolverhampton 1-0 at home. Unlike in their Premier League matches, where the Merseysiders have occasionally lacked a cutting edge in attack, they have been highly pragmatic in the cup and have yet to concede.
One of the team's main attacking outlets remains Thierno Barry, who scored three goals in the opening rounds of the Premier League. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall also plays an important role, capable of creating danger with his dribbling and passing in the final third. At the same time, the solidity of the defence and the performance of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford could prove decisive against opponents boasting quick and technically gifted players.
Home advantage gives Everton an additional edge, but the team must not allow Newcastle to seize the initiative from the opening minutes. The Merseysiders need to avoid losing possession in midfield and be more alert when the visitors transition into counterattacks. If the hosts can impose themselves physically and make the most of set pieces, they will have a good chance of reaching the next round.
Newcastle
Newcastle have also endured a difficult spell, but they received a positive boost ahead of the cup tie. In mid-October, the team lost 1-0 to Aston Villa, having previously suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Coventry. Earlier, Newcastle were beaten by Leeds by the same scoreline, although they managed to defeat Hull 2-1 between those setbacks. In their most recent Premier League match, the team beat Crystal Palace 2-0, a result that could give the players confidence ahead of their trip to Liverpool.
Newcastle began their Carabao Cup campaign with a win over West Bromwich and followed it up with a 1-0 away victory over Millwall. These results cannot be described as convincing, but they demonstrated the team's ability to navigate challenging cup tests. The next opponent will be significantly stronger, and the cost of any mistake will be higher.
In terms of squad quality, Newcastle are capable of challenging for a place in the next round, but their inconsistency in recent weeks means they cannot be considered clear favourites. The team must cut down on errors near their own goal and make better use of the spaces that may open up during Everton's attacks.
If the visitors score first, the hosts will have to commit more players forward, giving the Magpies opportunities to launch quick attacks. At the same time, a prolonged, evenly balanced contest will increase the pressure on both teams.
Projected line-ups
- Everton: Pickford, Maitland-Niles, O'Brien, Keane, Branthwaite, Garner, Hackney, Dibling, Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Barry.
- Newcastle: Hornicek, Hall, Botman, Schar, Dedich, Gonzalez, Ramsey, Willock, Murphy, Barnes, Wissa.
What to bet on?
A fiercely contested match between two evenly matched teams is expected. Everton have already shown in the Carabao Cup that they can get the required result in tight, low-scoring games, while the visitors come into this fixture after beating Crystal Palace but had suffered serious defensive collapses before that. The teams are likely to start cautiously, looking to prevent their opponents from gaining an early advantage. I do not expect a high-scoring contest and will back under 3 total goals.
