Everton and Newcastle aim to pull away from each other in Tuesday’s crucial encounter

Everton hope to take advantage of their home support as they welcome Newcastle to Goodison park with both teams equal on points.

The Toffees are favourites to take all three points having lost only one of their last eight games.

The home side’s fine form has come with the help of their inform striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin. who scored his ninth league goal of the season last time out against West Ham.

A win for either side will take them up to eighth in the table and only two points off the top six.

Team news

Everton will be without three of their star players as Richarlison, Gylfi Sigurdsson and Alex Iwobi are all suffering from injuries in previous games.

All missed Saturday’s game against West Ham with Michael Keane also missing out due to a neck injury, but his fitness is being assessed and could be a possibility for Carlos Ancelotti.

Newcastle will be without Paul Dummett and Jetro Willems, who have been ruled out for the rest of the season with cruciate ligament injuries.

Dummett was injured early on against Chelsea at the weekend after a harmless challenge on Callum Hudson-Odoi and Willems was stretchered off last week against Wolves.

Carlo Ancelotti:

“We had problems against Newcastle away and I think we will have the same problems on Tuesday,” said the Italian, whose team sit one position above their midweek opponents on goal difference.

“We have to be focussed on the match, not look at the table.”

Steve Bruce:

“He’s a hugely talented manager so he’ll eventually put his own stamp on what he’s got. Since big Dunc (Duncan Ferguson) went in and revived them a little bit, Carlo’s done the same sort of thing – nothing much has changed in that respect.

“But I would think over time, when he gets his feet under the table, he will want to evolve it his way, and as I say he’s a very, very talented and successful manager.”

Head-to-head

Played: 175

Everton wins: 74

Draws: 33

Newcastle wins : 66