Newcastle United

Charlotte Robson
Fan writer

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Newcastle United left Goodison Park - probably the last time they will ever go there - with one point and a final-third problem.

Our lack of a striker is, if you will excuse me for doing this, striking.

We have been getting better week on week in terms of overall performance, but I expected them to struggle against Everton. I didn't see any huge struggle.

What I did see, however, was how much the system we are playing doesn't really work without a striker.

It is true that defensively we work and that we managed to keep a clean sheet, but that will not be enough to push on up the league if we cannot score goals.

Alexander Isak was out with a toe injury and Callum Wilson has not been seen back in training yet this season after suffering a hamstring issue just before the campaign started.

We bought Will Osula from Sheffield as a 'project player'. How well that project is going remains to be seen, because Osula hasn't played in a Premier League match yet. He showed some rough promise in our Carabao Cup game against AFC Wimbledon, but clearly Eddie Howe and Jason Tindall do not consider him ready to be our target man in the league.

All this speaks to a shaky recruitment strategy over the summer. To have placed our faith in Isak and Wilson, the latter of whom is now 32 (drawing a pension in footballing terms) and both of whom have long injury records, now seems like it was risky.

It is arguable that Anthony Gordon is going to morph into a more marauding type of centre-forward, but he isn't there yet.

It is not all doom and gloom - obviously - as things are working elsewhere on the pitch.

Isak is a generational talent on his day. We just need to wrap him up in cotton wool when he gets back and hope he can stay fit for the rest of the season.

Find more from Charlotte Robson at the True Faith: Newcastle United Podcast, external

Newcastle United will push to sign 28-year-old Germany winger Leroy Sane when his contract expires at Bayern Munich next summer. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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A VAR related question was put to chief football writer Phil McNulty on Monday's Q&A.

@nubiblue on 'X' asked: Is the new improved VAR working? To me it continues to favour certain clubs.

Phil answered: First of all, I don't believe VAR favours certain clubs and quite honestly, I've not noticed too much difference or huge improvement.

Maybe a little less interference but I confess I lost a lot of faith in VAR after initially being a strong advocate.

I would be happy with semi-automated offside and line technology.

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We asked for your thoughts after Saturday's Premier League game between Everton and Newcastle.

Here are some of your comments:

Everton fans

Greg: A gutsy performance if not much more, and would probably have taken a point seeing the team selection. Midfield needs a shake up as neither Mangala or Doucoure are capable of controlling a game, however we all know he wont change it. Nice to see Pickford taking control of his six yard box a bit more. A very commanding display.

Dixie: A good defensive display. Pickford loves these games and did well. Makeshift back four or five depending how you look at it did well against a good attacking side. Dyche made the right substitutions at the right time. Well earned but deserved point. Clean sheet a bonus.

Yozza: Makeshift defence against a makeshift attack. We knew we were up against it against a strong midfield but I just don’t get the Calvert-Lewin penalty. If Burn was playing the ball then fine but he wasn’t. He was blocking Dom's kicking arc as well as coming in from the back. Should have stood. Good point though.

Steve: Plenty of effort but lacking creativity at the top end of pitch and at times looked open in the midfield. Great save from Pickford to deny Gordon who quite clearly was affected by the crowd.

Newcastle fans

Paul: Defensively better but we didn’t convert our possession into goals. Gordon played well but missed a pen and a very easy chance. Only a point is disappointing. There’s no excuse for us not having adequate cover for Isak and Wilson as we spent very little in the past two transfer windows. Our transfer policy needs sorting out.

Andy: Against a combative Everton side it was always a tough ask of Gordon to keep playing the central striker role even with his pace. We are strongest in midfield rotation, surely Howe could use Joelinton as a hybrid forward when needed. A draw was a fair result, but had we won Everton could of had no complaints. Cohesive team performance with no end product.

Jon: Signs of continued progress from the City game - energetic, more fluid in midfield through Tonali, Joelinton and Bruno, and the press gave Everton trouble. But we lacked any real edge in the final third, and still look vulnerable on the counter. Poor summer transfer window - we're a forward and a defender short of competing where we want to.

Alex: Newcastle lack any sort of creativity from midfield. Not one player from the midfield three is able to take the game by the scruff and win the game themselves. Too much reliance on Isak/Gordon. Howe needs to figure out a way to get goals from midfield.

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Newcastle's Joelinton says he was "frustrated" by Saturday's 0-0 draw at Everton but it is clear the team have "improved".

The Magpies missed several big chances at Goodison Park, including Jordan Pickford saving an Anthony Gordon penalty, but emerged with a point.

"Not happy with the point, we are disappointed and frustrated," Joelinton told BBC Radio Newcastle.

"We could have the three points - I think we deserved to win. We created chances but we didn't score.

"But, there's positives to take away. I think the performance was better in the last two games. We've improved and that's the way we want to play.

"I'm sure in the next games we will score more goals.

"It is a difficult ground to play in - their fans help their team. The team have their way to play; long balls, they fight. I think in the last two games we have had better performances and a better look of ourselves.

"Sometimes you create but the ball doesn't want to go in the goal. Also, we could have done a few things better - the last pass and some finishing. But, it's good that we created and I'm sure in the next game we will score."

The Brazil international was one yellow card away from suspension but remained disciplined amid a raucous atmosphere at Goodison Park.

"It's a lot of yellow cards," he added.

"It's about me controlling myself better on the pitch, being more calm. Not taking away the way I play, but being more calm with the ref and not giving away the easy free-kicks.

"Against Everton I controlled better myself and I was pleased not to get a yellow card."

Listen to the full chat on BBC Sounds

Newcastle United's attempts to sign 24-year-old Lille and Canada striker Jonathan David have been dealt a blow by Barcelona entering the bidding. (Shields Gazette), external

Liverpool have joined Newcastle and Tottenham in the race to sign 26-year-old England attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe's lack of cover for main striker Alexander Isak was brutally exposed in the draw at Everton.

Howe's side had 67.9% possession in the 0-0 draw at Goodison Park but, coupled with Anthony Gordon's first-half penalty miss, could not break through as Sean Dyche's struggling side earned their first Premier League clean sheet this season.

Isak is currently missing with a toe injury with no guarantee of a return after the international break while injury-plagued Callum Wilson has had yet another prolonged spell on the sidelines.

Gordon was used in a central role in the first half at Everton while Harvey Barnes was utilised for a spell after the break, Newcastle enjoying plenty of the ball but never placing the home side under sustained pressure.

It was evidence of just how much Newcastle rely on the outstanding Isak and how much the lack of a reliable, fit alternative presents a problem for a side clearly short in this area.

Howe cannot address the problem until January at the earliest but this is another sign of how Newcastle's chronic lack of transfer activity in the summer is having an impact.

The manager is now left hoping Isak returns as soon as possible or Wilson can actually get fit, otherwise Howe will be left juggling existing resources in an attempt to cover a potentially damaging gap in his squads.

Highlights and analysis from Saturday's seven Premier League fixtures.

If you missed Match of the Day, you can catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

Listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Man City 3-2 Fulham

• Everton 0-0 Newcastle

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Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, speaking to Match of the Day: "We created a lot of good chances and I am frustrated we haven't won. But it was much better. It looked like we were snatching at chances.

"I have to credit the players because it is a difficult environment to play in and it is a much better defensive display from us too. Big steps forward.

"I think there has been a reaction. We stood up to the physical test and were technically very good. We are trying to break barriers and have an outstanding season. I think we are capable of more and we have some tough fixtures to come.

"I think Anthony [Gordon] handled the occasion very well. I think his all-round game was very good. He will be disappointed with the penalty. Credit to Jordan Pickford for the save."

Will Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson be back after the international break? "We hope so. They are two huge players for us. When you take any focal point out of a team it has an impact. Would it have made the difference today? I'm not sure but we are looking forward to having them back."

Listen to more from Howe on BBC Sounds

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Everton's performance, external

What did you make of Newcastle's display?, external

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Follow reaction and read the match report

Seven matches make up Saturday's Premier League action, and we will bring you every moment.

• Crystal Palace v Liverpool - 12:30

• Arsenal v Southampton

• Brentford v Wolves

• Leicester v Bournemouth

• Man City v Fulham (listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live)

• West Ham v Ipswich

• Everton v Newcastle - 17:30 (listen live on BBC Radio 5 Live)

Kick-off 15:00 BST unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

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Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League matches this season, against a variety of guests.

For week seven, he takes on Will Champion and Jonny Buckland from Coldplay, whose latest album, Moon Music, came out on Friday.

Sutton's prediction: 1-1

I've got a big coin here and I am just tossing it up. That's how hard it is to call this one.

Newcastle produced their best performance of the season against Manchester City last week, but can they back it up here? I am not convinced they will.

Everton will be buoyed after getting their first win, over Crystal Palace. Iliman Ndiaye looks sharp in attack and they have Jarrad Branthwaite back fit in defence, which I think is big.

I really don't know what to expect, so I am going to sit firmly on the fence and go for a draw.

Will and Jonny's prediction: 1-2

Read the rest of their predictions, and have your own say here

Chris Collinson
BBC Sport statistician

Six games down and players are racking up the mileage in the Premier League. But who has been hitting the top marks so far?

Southampton’s Flynn Downes has put in the biggest shift, covering almost five kilometres more distance than any other player in the Premier League so far.

It is also notable too that striker Kai Havertz is working hard for the Arsenal cause as they challenge for the title once again, while Dwight McNeil is backing up his early goalscoring with some serious work rate.

Already the fastest player in Premier League history after clocking 37.8km/h against Brentford last campaign, it is no real surprise to find that Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven has been the fastest over the first six games.

However, it is also notable to see Manchester City's ruthless forward Erling Haaland up there too. Speed just one part of the monstrous physicality that gets him so many chances and goals.

Finally, what about the most sprints?

That goes to Newcastle winger Anthony Gordon who has made the most sprints in the Premier League so far this term.

He is 'running' away with it too, having clocked up 13 more than any other player.

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Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe wants to "stay at St James' Park" amid discussions about the club potentially moving away from the iconic stadium.

Plans to leave the ground were discussed at the Newcastle United Fan Advisory Board on Monday. It has been the club's home since 1892.

"My natural instinct was always to stay at St James' Park," Howe said.

"It's an incredible place to play football, it's our home, so to think about moving somewhere else feels a little bit of a betrayal to somewhere that's served us so well.

"But we are well aware that, as a football club, we need to increase our revenue, so people with more brain cells will make the decision for the benefit of the long-term future of the football club, and that's always the most important thing."

Read more here

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Everton have lost just three of their past 20 Premier League home games against Newcastle (W12 D5), but two of those defeats have come in their past four meetings at Goodison Park.

Katie Stafford
BBC Sport journalist

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Premier League game against Everton (kick-off 17: 30 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Fabian Schar, Nick Pope and Kieran Trippier are expected to be available for the trip to Goodison Park but forward Alexander Isak remains sidelined with his toe injury.

• However, Howe hopes Isak and Callum Wilson will return after the international break.

• He says it has been "an intense three years" since the Saudi-led consortium took over in 2021 but he "can't praise them enough for the impact they have had".

• On progressing into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup with victory against Wimbledon on Tuesday: "A trophy is something we have in our sights and is an ultimate goal. That's what we're all chasing and it is driving us to work for it."

• He says the Magpies performances this season "have been a bit inconsistent" so they need to build on the draw with Manchester City to "find that 95-minute performance" week in, week out.

• The City game did encourage him: "The performance gave us real heart and showed what we are capable of as a group when we all play at our best."

• On opponents Everton: "We are going to have to be together for the whole game. Last year, we conceded three late goals against them, so we have to be on our guard and be good with the ball."

• He says Goodison Park is "a tough place to go" because "the fans are involved in the game because of how close they are to the pitch."

• On Anthony Gordon returning to his boyhood club: "It will be his third game [at Goodison] and each time it gets slightly easier. He will be emotional - he’s human - but as long as he focuses on himself that is all I ask of him."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news