Everton owner Farhad Moshiri has reiterated his support for Frank Lampard as he appeared to disregard fan requests for change within the club's hierarchy.
A run of one win from their last seven Premier League matches has left Everton in the bottom three heading into a crucial clash with fellow strugglers Southampton on Saturday.
Sections of the Everton fanbase are planning a coach welcome prior to that match, but are also set for a 'sit-in' as part of a protest against how the club has been run.
Since Moshiri became the majority shareholder in 2016, Everton have spent over £500million in the transfer market and had seven permanent managers, and now look set for a second relegation battle in as many seasons.
Everton were forced to sell Richarlison to appease Premier League profit and sustainability rules last year, but are yet to act in the January window despite a lack of quality attacking options.
Lampard received the public backing of Moshiri in an open letter to Everton's fans on Wednesday. However, much of the ire has been directed at chairman Bill Kenwright, chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale and the owner himself, who believes he deserves the faith of the fanbase.
"I hope so, I put my money where my mouth is," he said on TalkSPORT. "That's the most an owner can do and I've done that."
Moshiri suggested Everton's supporters must also take responsibility for the managerial merry-go-round.
"Some of the decisions we have taken have been together with the fans. All the managers that have left, they have been driven by the fans, not by me initially.
"You've got to stay with a manager to get the systems going, the players that he buys. I have a lot of faith in Frank, he'll get it right."
Moshiri has no issue with the planned protests but stressed "we are communicating".
However, he does not feel change is needed, as he emphasised the strain put on Everton by the construction of the club's new stadium on Liverpool's waterfront, which is scheduled for completion in 2024.
Of Everton's board, Moshiri said: "They've been there for a long time. They're long-standing, dedicated, local. It's so important to keep the roots of the club in Liverpool and those are the roots – they love the club.
"Building a £760million stadium – one of the best in the country – is an enormous challenge for a club. [The fans] need to acknowledge that they're going through a transformation and they are working extremely hard.
"You can't just take rash decisions. We have two big games – on Saturday and on the 21st [against West Ham]. That's the only focus."
Charlotte FC v CF Montreal: Westwood says Crown clicking at right time
Ashley Westwood believes Charlotte FC are clicking at the right time, with an MLS Cup Playoff spot already secured ahead of their weekend clash with CF Montreal.
Charlotte made certain of a playoff place by edging a seven-goal thriller against the Chicago Fire in midweek, Karol Swiderski netting twice in a 4-3 win for Dean Smith's men.
They face Montreal, who are one place and five points below them in the standings, at Bank of America Stadium on Saturday, as they gear up for a second playoff run in as many years.
Captain and former Aston Villa midfielder Westwood believes Charlotte's run of seven points – and nine goals – in three matches has come at the ideal moment.
"It all comes with us starting to know people's movements," Westwood told WFNZ Sports Radio.
"It's not easy to come straight into a team and people expect things to click straight away, but everyone has different movements. Finally, it looks like it's clicking at the right time."
Montreal are looking to make certain of a wild-card place, having clinched a huge 2-1 victory over Atlanta United last time out – courtesy of former Five Stripes hero Josef Martinez.
"We fought for this win and it is a very important one for us," Martinez said. "Of course, coming to this stadium with these fans, to play against this club was tough.
"It's always hard and I have a lot of love for them but I am professional and I need to fight for my colours.
"We are happy with this victory, but we need to focus on Charlotte now. Now we fight for one reason and it is to make the playoffs. The team is on the same page and this is why we are scoring goals."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Charlotte FC – Karol Swiderski
Swiderski scored twice on Wednesday with his first strike coming in the eighth minute, the fifth time he has scored in the first 10 minutes of an MLS match for Charlotte.
Only one other player in team history has scored multiple goals within the first 10 minutes of matches in MLS play (Yordy Reyna, with two).
CF Montreal – Josef Martinez
Martinez scored two goals against his former club Atlanta on Wednesday, his 24th career multi-goal MLS match.
Only Landon Donovan (32) and Chris Wondolowski (25) have more such games in league history.
MATCH PREDICTION – CHARLOTTE FC WIN
Montreal are unbeaten in five all-time meetings with Charlotte in MLS (four wins, one draw), including a 2-1 home win on September 14. Charlotte's only point against Montreal came in the teams' last meeting at Bank of America Stadium, a scoreless draw in June 2023.
However, that could change here. The Crown have scored four goals in each of their last two home matches, in wins over the New England Revolution and Chicago Fire. They previously had just two MLS matches (home or away) with four or more goals in their history.
Montreal's midweek triumph over Atlanta was their first road win in 13 attempts in MLS (four draws, eight defeats), and a repeat looks unlikely here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Charlotte FC – 52.7%
CF Montreal – 23.1%
Draw – 24.2%
Messi says MLS points record secondary as Miami face Toronto
Lionel Messi says breaking the single-season MLS points record is a secondary concern for Supporters' Shield winners Inter Miami as they approach the playoffs.
Miami clinched their first Supporters' Shield triumph by beating the Columbus Crew – the reigning MLS Cup holders – 3-2 on the road on Wednesday, with Messi scoring two goals including a wonderful free-kick.
With two games remaining in the regular season, versus Toronto on Saturday and the New England Revolution two weeks later, Miami could yet set a new points record for the league, with two victories enough to overhaul the Revs' 2021 mark of 73 points.
Messi, however, says achieving that feat will mean nothing if the Herons cannot back it up in the postseason.
"The points record is secondary, the main thing is what is coming up with the playoffs," Messi told Apple TV after Miami's Supporters' Shield triumph.
"First, we have a best-of-three series, but then it's elimination games and anything can happen.
"We have a big advantage now, being able to play at home. We are very strong at home, but still have to prove we can win."
Toronto, meanwhile, are on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention following their 4-1 midweek defeat to the New York Red Bulls.
John Herdman's Reds currently occupy the final wild-card place in the Eastern Conference, but Saturday's game is their last of the campaign while all of their direct rivals have two more to play.
That means Toronto must beat Miami and pray for favours from elsewhere to keep their season alive, leaving Herdman to lament his team's tame display on Wednesday.
"It was not good enough, there was no excuses. Not good enough with the setup and not good enough on the pitch," Herdman said.
"Even as a tactical staff, not being able to find the right solutions... We've got to own this, the whole group.
"It was a team that was too passive, in a game where we had to be strong, we had to have character, personality, fight. It just wasn't there, in big moments under pressure."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Toronto FC – Prince Osei Owusu
Owusu scored his team-leading ninth goal of the season against the Red Bulls on Wednesday.
No Toronto player has scored 10 goals in a single regular season in MLS since Alejandro Pozuelo (12) and Jozy Altidore (11) both did so in 2019.
Inter Miami – Lionel Messi
Messi's two goals on Wednesday took him to 32 goal contributions this season (17 goals, 15 assists) despite playing just 17 league matches in 2024.
The Argentine great is averaging 2.02 goal contributions per 90 minutes this season, on pace to shatter the record of 1.62 set by Carlos Vela in 2019 (min. 1000 minutes).
MATCH PREDICTION – INTER MIAMI WIN
Since the beginning of the 2021 season, Inter Miami have recorded eight wins in nine meetings with Toronto in all competitions (one defeat).
The only MLS team to record more wins over another in that time is the LA Galaxy over the San Jose Earthquakes (nine).
Toronto suffered their 18th defeat of the regular season in midweek. This is the fourth straight campain in which the Reds have lost at least 18 times, making them the first team in MLS history to have four consecutive seasons with 18 or more defeats.
Miami, meanwhile, are unbeaten in nine matches in MLS, winning five and drawing four, scoring 21 times during that run.
On their travels, they are unbeaten in four matches since the Leagues Cup break, winning two and drawing two, while also plundering 10 goals in that span. Unless they take their eye off the ball ahead of the playoffs, expect a similar result here.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Toronto FC – 19.9%
Inter Miami – 59.1%
Draw – 21%
In-form McNeil releshing central role at Everton
Dwight McNeil is relishing playing in a central role in Everton's attack, as he aims to get Sean Dyche's team up the Premier League.
McNeil scored twice in the space of seven minutes, with his first being a wonderful strike from outside of the box, as Everton came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 on Saturday.
That marked the Toffees' first league win of the season, with Newcastle United next up at Goodison Park.
McNeil, who scored and assisted in Everton's 3-0 win in the corresponding fixture against Newcastle last season, has created 21 chances in the Premier League in 2024-25, more than any other player. Only Bukayo Saka (nine) and Cole Palmer (seven) have created more big chances than the 24-year-old's six, too.
His form has picked up since moving from the left flank into a role behind striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and McNeil is enjoying the positional switch.
McNeil told evertonfc.com: "Every time I've played centrally I've enjoyed it, because I feel like I'm always involved in the game.
"I've really enjoyed it. I know there is still a lot of work to be done – in and out of possession – for me to improve in that position, but I'm doing that in every game. For me, I've always found the best way I learn and improve is by actually playing and experiencing it for real.
"The stats, I don't really focus on them. For me, I think stats, at times, can overshadow what players actually do on the pitch. I find stats difficult because rule number one for me is to always just play well, and I know myself if I've done that or not. If I'm playing well and enjoying my football, all of that stuff comes with it.
"My focus will always be on playing well, helping the team in any way I can and enjoying it, and, of course, getting on a winning run. That's the biggest thing for me – helping the team win games."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Everton - Ashley Young
Young has assisted a goal in each of his last two Premier League appearances, which is as many assists as he got in his previous 117 games combined.
At the age of 39, Young is the oldest player in Premier League history to assist a goal in consecutive games.
Newcastle United - Anthony Gordon
Former Everton winger Gordon has been involved in 13 goals in 23 Premier League appearances in 2024 for Newcastle (seven goals, six assists).
However, Gordon is yet to score or assist against his old club and has only scored one goal in his last 15 games at Goodison Park, which came against Crystal Palace in October 2022.
MATCH PREDICTION: NEWCASTLE WIN
Everton have lost just three of their last 20 Premier League home games against Newcastle (W12 D5), though two of those defeats have come across their last four such meetings (W2), including a 4-1 victory at Goodison Park in April 2023.
Newcastle have won five of their last eight Premier League meetings with Everton (D1 L2), as many as in their previous 24 against them (D6 L13). However, they failed to win either meeting with the Toffees last term (D1 L1).
Only Aston Villa and Manchester City (seven) have picked up more points from losing positions in the Premier League this season than Newcastle (five) – the Magpies have only lost two of their last seven games when conceding first (W2 D3), having lost 11 of their previous 13 games when going 1-0 down.
After losing their first four Premier League matches this season, Everton have picked up four points in their last two games (W1 D1). Dyche's side are looking for consecutive wins for the first time since April.
Newcastle have won 11 points in their six Premier League games this season (W3 D2 L1), their most at this stage of a top-flight season since 2011-12 (12) and Eddie Howe’s best start to a league season since 2010-11 in League One with Bournemouth (11 points).
Everton have won six of their last eight Premier League matches at Goodison Park (L2). Since the first game in this run on April 6, the Toffees have won more home points than any other Premier League side (18).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Everton - 30.9%
Newcastle - 43.9%
Draw - 25.2%
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