Marco Silva’s return to form at Goodison Park has caught the attention of prominent Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson, but the former Arsenal man has doubts over Everton’s chances of setting a new club record against Newcastle United.
When the Toffees travel to St James’ Park on Saturday, they have the opportunity to do what no Blues side have done before and record three consecutive away wins over the Magpies in the top-flight.
The players’ efforts to do so should also be boosted by the North East outfit last scuppering an Everton side on December 28, 2014, which interrupted an otherwise unbeaten run of 12 games between the clubs.
In that time, we have won at St James’ Park on multiple occasions, but attempts at clinching a third in a row have always fallen short.
Annoyingly, Merson expects just that to happen again in 2019, as the Sky Sports pundit has predicted a 2-2 draw for the 174th meeting between us and the Magpies.
“Everton have set a standard now. They kept a clean sheet against Liverpool and didn’t really look like letting in a goal – it wasn’t like the goalie was Man of the Match, he made a couple of saves but nothing big,” wrote the ex-England international in his weekly predictions.
“Newcastle will be strong at home with their front three and I think Everton will relax away from home and have a go so I’m going for plenty of goals.”
In fairness to the 50-year-old, Newcastle are in terrific form at home in 2019, having won their past three games and they have only lost just once in their last six.
Had the game between Silva and Rafa Benitez’s outfit come earlier in the campaign, we would stand a far greater chance of achieving a new club record, as the Magpies were only able to register two wins in their first twelve games at St James’ Park.