Everton and Newcastle United both head into their game this weekend under pressure.
Everton against Newcastle United this weekend is one of the more difficult games to call on the Premier League fixture schedule this weekend.
Everton have struggled in the Premier League, while Newcastle are one of the sides with an outside chance of getting into the top eight.
The team, which wins the most individual battles over the course of the game will more than likely win the match.
One of those battles will relate to a talented Everton forward against a Newcastle United defender; Romelu Lukaku v Fabricio Coloccini.
| Position | Team | Goals | Goal Assist | Duel Won | Aerial Won | Touches GAME | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Romelu Lukaku | FW | Everton | 7 | 3 | 110 | 46 | 39.39 | 28 | 2,258 |
| Position | Team | Outfielder Block | Won Tackle | Effective Clearance | Duel Won | Aerial Won | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fabricio Coloccini | DF | Newcastle | 15 | 31 | 138 | 93 | 41 | 25 | 2,238 |
One of the main strengths that Lukaku boasts is his size and presence in attack.
He has the edge over Coloccini in terms of the number of duels and aerial duels he’s won this season.
The experienced Newcastle centre back needs to be wary of getting drawn into a physical battle, which the stats suggest he could lose.
Where Coloccini will have to play well is in terms of judging his position and knowing when to step in and go for a tackle, taking a risk to clear the danger.
The basic job of any defender is to put himself between his goal and the attacker and if he can do that, backing off slightly and getting a bit of space on the Belgian, he can be confident of winning the duel.
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