Two of Everton’s creative players have been in impressive form recently.
Rather unsurprisingly, Everton manager Sam Allardyce instructed his side to adopt a defensive approach in the Merseyside derby away to Liverpool and he was rewarded as the Toffees managed to take a point from Anfield.
Tonight Everton are back in action as they face Newcastle United away and given that the Magpies don’t possess quite the same threat as Liverpool, there could be scope for Allardyce’s side to be more attack-minded in their approach.
Dwight Gayle has been impressive for Newcastle of late, scoring three goals in his last four Premier League games, but Newcastle aren’t especially dangerous in wide areas and Allardyce may look for his side to push forwards with greater regularity.
If Everton do play a more open game then two players who would certainly benefit are Gylfi Sigurdsson and Wayne Rooney. The pair were deployed out wide against Liverpool and both worked extremely hard in defence and attack.
Should they be given opportunities to push forwards, Sigurdsson and Rooney can make a major impact against Newcastle by linking play effectively and providing service for attackers.
Sigurdsson has shown some signs of performing more effectively since Allardyce took charge and the Iceland international is starting to establish himself as the hub of the Everton team, as demonstrated by the fact that he has two goals and two assists in his last five Premier League appearances.
Rooney, meanwhile, has four goals and an assist in his last three league games since returning to the starting lineup and will be eager to add to those figures tonight.
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