EPL

In-form McNeil releshing central role at Everton

By Sports Desk October 02, 2024

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%

Related items

  • Tottenham shot themselves in the foot, says Postecoglou after Bournemouth loss Tottenham shot themselves in the foot, says Postecoglou after Bournemouth loss

    Ange Postecoglou claimed Tottenham were masters of their own downfall in their 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth in the Premier League. 

    Dean Huijsen headed home the only goal of the game from a corner in the 17th minute to inflict a sixth defeat of the season on Postecoglou's Spurs, who ended with an xG of only 0.58 despite having more than 65% possession. 

    Indeed, Bournemouth had 21 shots and saw two goals disallowed for offside, albeit Spurs also had a would-be equaliser ruled out when Son Heung-min was flagged. 

    But after his team followed up a disappointing home draw against Fulham with a toothless display on the south coast, Postecoglou did not hide his frustration.

    "It is not good enough. We again fell into the trap of starting the game really well, we were in control, and then we conceded a really poor goal," Postecoglou told Amazon Prime, after a defeat that pushed Tottenham into 10th place with 20 points from 14 games. 

    "Then we kind of lost our way a little bit and allowed Bournemouth to play the game that they wanted to. We had our moments in the second half, but we could not get a goal.

    "I don't know if they had more urgency, but we have this sort of propensity to shoot ourselves in the foot when we should be controlling games."

    Bournemouth, meanwhile, climbed into the top half of the table with their fourth win in five matches at the Vitality Stadium.

    "Bournemouth are hard to beat here and what you should not do is give them a goal that gives them the momentum they need," the Tottenham head coach said. 

    Spurs will next face second-placed Chelsea, who are unbeaten in their last six league games, at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.

    "They are all big games coming up. We have to get ourselves out of the space we are in at the minute where we can't get a real grip on the season," Postecoglou said. 

    Meanwhile, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola was full of praise for 19-year-old Huijsen, who had made his third league start of the season in place of Marcos Senesi. 

    "He was very, very good defensively and he got the goal. Obviously, we can use his height in the set plays. He is confident on the ball too. He is good news for us," said the Spanish tactician. 

    "He needs and is demanding opportunities and I think he will get them more now. Marco [Senesi] is injured, so he will get the chance more and more. It is good for us that he has found the level."

    Huijsen became Bournemouth’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Premier League at 19 years and 235 days and the third-youngest Spaniard, after Cesc Fabregas and Stefan Bajcetic.

    "Our defensive performance was most pleasing. We did not give them many chances at all. Everyone defensively was very good," Iraola said.

    "Luckily we finished the job, but there were moments when we thought that if we did not kill them they would punish us," he added. 

    Bournemouth are next in action against Ipswich Town at Portman Road on Sunday.

  • Bournemouth 1-0 Tottenham: Huijsen downs sorry Spurs Bournemouth 1-0 Tottenham: Huijsen downs sorry Spurs

    Bournemouth moved into the top half of the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Tottenham at the Vitality Stadium.

    Dean Huijsen scored the decisive goal in the 17th minute when the Spurs defence allowed the 19-year-old defender to head in unmarked from a Marcus Tavernier corner.

    The hosts had the chance to put the game to bed in the second half as Ryan Christie was denied by the woodwork and an Evanilson goal was disallowed for offside following a VAR review.

    Tottenham were unable to make meaningful inroads throughout the first half and despite their performance picking up after the break, the visitors failed to find a way back and fell to their sixth league defeat of the season.

    Bournemouth leapfrogged their opponents into ninth place on 21 points, while Tottenham dropped to 10th, one point behind the Cherries.

    Data Debrief: Home comforts for Bournemouth

    Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth have now won four of their last five games at their home ground. What makes their home form even more impressive is the fact that they have beaten Arsenal 2-0 and champions Manchester City 2-1 during that run. 

    On Thursday, the Cherries attempted 21 shots, which was their highest total in a league match this season.

    They only scored one, but it proved decisive. Huijsen became Bournemouth’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Premier League at 19 years and 235 days and the third-youngest Spaniard, after Cesc Fabregas and Stefan Bajcetic.

    Meanwhile, Spurs have now lost seven of their last 11 away games in the league (W3 D1), as Ange Postecoglou's team, who had a goal disallowed for offside in the second half, failed to show anywhere close to their best form.

  • Lazio 3-1 Napoli: Noslin hat-trick fires Biancocelesti into Coppa Italia quarter-finals Lazio 3-1 Napoli: Noslin hat-trick fires Biancocelesti into Coppa Italia quarter-finals

    Tijjani Noslin's hat-trick booked Lazio's place in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals following a 3-1 victory over Napoli.

    The Dutch forward's first treble of his career proved decisive at Stadio Olimpico, where Giovanni Simeone's strike proved nothing more than a consolation for the visitors.

    Lazio were awarded a penalty in the 20th minute after Elia Caprile brought down Pedro, but the Napoli goalkeeper redeemed himself with a smart save to deny Mattia Zaccagni from 12 yards.

    Nevertheless, the hosts broke through in the 32nd minute. Samuel Gigot headed Loum Tchaouna's deep centre back across goal for Noslin to nod home.

    Simeone brought Napoli level four minutes later, tucking away a rebound after Christos Mandas could only parry David Neres' initial effort.

    However, Noslin put Lazio back in front within five minutes after Pedro cushioned a cross neatly into his path, before completing his hat-trick early in the second half when heading home Zaccagni's centre.

    Data Debrief: Another last-16 exit for Partenopei

    Lazio are through to the Coppa Italia quarter-finals for a 14th consecutive season, after Noslin stole the show in Rome.

    The Dutchman had never previously in his career scored two goals in the same match, let alone three.

    Meanwhile, Napoli have now won just one of their last six away games in the Coppa Italia, and have exited the tournament at this stage in each of the last four seasons.

© 2024 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.