As the 2025/2026 Premier League season heats up, Newcastle United prepare to host Everton at St. James' Park on February 28, 2026. This mid-table encounter sees Everton sitting ninth with 37 points from 27 games, just one point ahead of Newcastle in 11th place with 36 points. Both teams are vying for position in a tightly packed table, where a win could propel either side towards European contention, though neither is directly involved in a relegation battle or title race.
Turning to recent form, Newcastle have struggled, securing just one win in their last five outings: a 3-2 victory over Qarabag FK, followed by losses to Manchester City (1-2), Qarabag FK (6-1), Aston Villa (3-1), and Tottenham Hotspur (2-1). This inconsistency could dent their confidence heading into this match. Everton, meanwhile, have shown a mix of results, with a 2-1 win over Fulham sandwiched between draws against Brighton & Hove Albion (1-1) and Leeds United (1-1), and defeats to Manchester United (0-1) and AFC Bournemouth (1-2). Their ability to grind out points might give them a slight edge in this fixture.
Key players and injuries will play a significant role. For Newcastle, Anthony Gordon stands out as a key attacker in the predicted lineup, while Harvey Barnes has contributed five goals this season. However, the team faces challenges with several absences: Emil Krafth, Bruno Guimaraes, Fabian Schär, Valentino Livramento, and Lewis Miley are all ruled out, with Yoane Wissa and Sven Botman having a 75% chance of missing due to injuries. Everton, on the other hand, will miss Jack Grealish for the long term, and Jake O'Brien is suspended, but Thierno Barry, Iliman Ndiaye, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall—each with five goals—are expected to feature and could be pivotal in their attack.
Tactically, Newcastle are set to line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation with Nick Pope in goal and Anthony Gordon leading the line, emphasizing midfield control through players like Sandro Tonali. Everton opt for a 4-2-3-1 setup, anchored by Jordan Pickford in goal and featuring Thierno Barry up front, which might allow them to counter Newcastle's attacks effectively. In head-to-head terms, their most recent meeting on November 29, 2025, ended in a 1-4 victory for Newcastle, giving the hosts a recent psychological boost, though no other 2025/2026 clashes are noted.
Looking ahead, this match could be closely contested given the narrow points gap and mixed forms. Newcastle might leverage their home advantage and recent head-to-head success, but Everton's slightly better recent results and key attackers could keep them in the game. I'm leaning towards a draw as a likely outcome, though Newcastle could edge it if they capitalize on their predicted lineup's strengths.
Recommended Bets
Bet 1 @2.50 — Draw, based on both teams' recent draws and the close league standings suggesting a balanced match.
Bet 2 @3.00 — Over 2.5 goals, given Newcastle's involvement in high-scoring games in their recent form.
Bet 3 @4.00 — Everton double chance (draw or win), as their form includes more positive results and they are slightly ahead in the table.
Odds tend to shorten closer to kickoff — lock in value now.
